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LIBRARY OF CONGRESS. 



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UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. 

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Mount Assiniboine, 







. 



CAMPING IN THE 
CANADIAN ROCKIES 



AN ACCOUNT OF CAMP LIFE IN THE WILDER PARTS OF 

THE CANADIAN ROCKY MOUNTAINS, TOGETHER 

WITH A DESCRIPTION OF THE REGION ABOUT 

BANFF, LAKE LOUISE, AND GLACIER, 

AND A SKETCH OF THE EARLY 

EXPLORATIONS 



BY 



WALTER DWIGHT WILCOX 




WITH TWENTY-FIVE FULL-PAGE PHOTOGRAVURES, AND MANY TEXT 
ILLUSTRATIONS FROM PHOTOGRAPHS BY THE AUTHOR 







G. P. PUTNAM'S SONS < lg% 

NEW YORK LONDON ' ' 

27 West Twenty-third Street 24 Bedford Street, Strand . 

% Jttticlurbockr Jress ^ &b\l» - 

1896 

'. 






Copyright, 1896 

BY 

G. P. PUTNAM'S SONS 

Entered at Stationers' Hall, London 



Zbe Tknicfcerbocfcet Ipress, mew L>otfi 




PREFACE. 



THE Canadian Rocky Mountains offer exceptional 
attractions to those who enjoy natural scenery* 
sport, and camp life. Few regions of the world 
combining mountain, lake, and forest scenery possess the 
additional advantage of a delightful summer climate, such 
as obtains in the Canadian Rockies. 

The extremely wild character of this part of the Rocky 
Mountains, and the very short time since it was opened 
up to travellers, are probably, in great part, the reasons 
for the lack of literature and the absence of any thor- 
oughly illustrated publication concerning this region. 

During a period of four years, the author has made 
camping excursions into many of the wilder parts of the 
mountains and effected a considerable number of ascents. 
An excellent camera has been an almost inseparable com- 
panion in every excursion, so that photographs of the 
typical scenery have been obtained from every possible 
point of view. Moreover, throughout all the processes of 
photographing, no expense of time or labor has been 
spared in order to obtain true and artistic representations 
of nature. Nor have these results been obtained without 



in 



iv Preface. 

considerable sacrifice, for in many cases the proper light 
effects on lakes and forests required hours of delay, and 
frequently, on lofty mountain summits, high winds made 
it necessary to anchor the camera with stones ; while the 
cold and exposure of those high altitudes made the cir- 
cumstances unfavorable for successful work. 

A map is not included in the volume, as, owing to the 
wildness of the country, there are no detailed maps cover- 
ing this region that are entirely satisfactory. The best 
map, and, in fact, the only one available, is published in 
Dr. Dawson's Preliminary Report on this part of the 
Rocky Mountains. 

The author makes grateful acknowledgment of the 
assistance received from many friends in the preparation 
of this book. Special thanks are due to Prof. J. H. Gore, 
of Columbian University, and to the Hon. Chas. D. Wal- 
cott, Director of the United States Geological Survey, for 
the valuable aid and information given by them ; to M. 
Guillaume La Mothe for an interesting letter concerning 
the first exploration of the Fraser River ; and to Sir 
William Van Home for the many courtesies extended. 

W. D. W. 

Washington, D.C., July, 1896. 



CONTENTS. 



CHAPTER I. 

Banff — Its Location — The Village — Tourists — Hotels — Topography 
of the Regio?i — Rundle and Cascade Mountains — The Devil's Lake — Sir 
George Simpson s Journey to this Regio7i — Peechee the Indian Guide — 
An Indian Legend — The Missio?iary Rundle — Dr. Hector — The Climate 
of Banff — A Summer Snow- Storm — The Mountains in Winter ,-I 5 

CHAPTER II. 

Lake Louise — First Impressions — An Abode of Peipetual Winter — 
The Chalet — Visitors — Stirring Tales of Adventure — Pri??ieval Forests — 
Forest Fires — Mosquitoes and Bull-Dog Flies — Mortal Combats between 
Wasps a?id Bull-dogs — The Old Chalet — Morning on the Lake — Approach 
of a Storm — Sublimity of a Mountain Thunder- Storm — Cloud Effects — 
The Lake in October — A Magnificent Avalanche from Mount Lefroy — 
A Warning of Approaching Winter ...... 16-35 



CHAPTER III. 

Surroundings of the Lake — Position of Mountains and Valleys — The 
Spruce and Balsam Firs — The Ly all's Larch — Alpine Flowers — The 
Trail among the Cliffs — The Beehive, a Monument of the Past — Lake 
Agnes, a Lake of Solitude — Summit of the Beehive — Lake Louise in the 
Distant Future ......... 36-46 



v: Contents. 



CHAPTER IV. 

Organizing a Party for the Mountains — Our Plans for the Summer — 
William Twin and Tom Chiniquy — Nature, Habits, and Dress of the 
Stoney Indians — An Excursion on the Glacier — The Surface Debris and 
its Origin — Snow Line — Ascent of the Couloir — A Terrible Accident — 
Getting Down — An Exhausting Return for Aid — Hasty Organization of 
a Rescue Party — Cold and Miserable Wait on the Glacier — Unpleasa7it 
Surmises — " / Think You Die " — A Fortunate Termination . 47-64 

CHAPTER V. 

Castle Crags — Early Morning 011 the Mountain Side — View fro?n the 
Summit — Ascent of the Aiguille — An Avalanche of Rocks — A Glorious 
Glissade — St. Piran — Its Alpine Flowers and Butterflies — Expedition to 
an Unexplored Valley — A Thirsty Walk through the Forest — Discovery 
of a Mountain Torrent — A Lake in the Forest — A Moimtain Amphi- 
theatre — The Saddle — Impressive View of Mount Temple — Summit of 
Great Moimtain — An Ascent in Vain — A Sudden Storm in the High Moun- 
tains — Phenomenal Fall of Temperature — Grand Cloud Effects, ^>l~^Z 

CHAPTER VI. 

Paradise Valley — The Mitre Glacier — Air Castles — Climbing to the 
Col — Dark Ice Caverns — Mountain Sickness — Grandeur of the Rock- 
Precipices 011 Mount Lefroy — Summit of the Col at Last — A Glorious 
Vision of a New and Beautiful Valley — A Temple of Nature — Sudden 
Change of Weather — Temptation to Explore the New Valley — A Precip- 
itate Descent — Sudden Transition from Arctic to Temperate Co?iditions — 
Delightful Surroundings — Weary Followers — Overtaken by Night — A 
Bivouac in the Forest — Fire in the Forest — I?idian Sarcasm, 84—100 

CHAPTER VII. 

The Wild Character of Paradise Valley — Difficulties with Pack- 
Horses — A Remarkable Accident — Our Camp a?id Surroundings — Animal 



Contents. 



Vll 



Friends — Midsummer Flowers — Desolation Valley — Ascent of Hazel Peak 
— An Alpine Lake in a Basin of Ice — First Attempt to Scale Mount Temple 
— Our Camp by a Small Lake — A Wild and Stormy Night — An Impassable 
Barrier — A Scene of Utter Desolation — All Nature Sleeps — Difficulties 
of Ascent — The Highest Point yet Reached in Canada — Paradise Valley in 
Winter — Farewell to Lake Louise . . . . . .101—118 

CHAPTER VIII. 

The Selkirks — Geographical Position of the Range — Good Cheer of 
the Glacier House — Charming Situation — Comparison between the Selkirks 
and Rockies — Early Mountain Ascents — Density of the Forest — Ascent of 
Eagle Peak — A Magnificent Panorama — A Descent in the Darkness — 
Account of a Terrible Experience on Eagle Peak — Trails through the 
Forest — Future Popularity of the Selkirks — The Forest Primeval — 
An Epitome of Human Life — Age of Trees — Forests Dependent on 
Humidity . . ....... 1 19-136 

CHAPTER IX. 

Mount Assiniboine — Preparations for Visiting it — Camp at Heely's 
Creek— Crossing the Simpson Pass — Shoot a Pack- Horse— A Delightful 
Camp — A Difficult Snow Pass — Burnt Timber — Nature Sounds — Dis- 
covery of a Beautiful Lake — Inspiring View of Mou?it Assiniboine — 
Our Camp at the Base of the Mountain — Summer Snow-Storms — Inac- 
cessibility of Mount Assiniboine . . . . . 137—157 



CHAPTER X. 

Evidence of Game — Discovery of a Mountain Goat — A Long Hunt — 
A Critical Mo7nent — A Terrible Fall — An Unpleasant Experience — 
Habitat of the Mountain Goat — A Change of Weather — A Magnificent 
Panorama — Set out to Explore the Mi-untatn — Intense Heat of a Forest 
Fire — Struggling with Burnt Timber — A Mountain Bivouac — Hope and 
Despair — Success at Last — Short Rations — Topography of Mount Assini- 
boine — The Vermilion River — A Wonderful Canyon — Fording the Boiu 
River ........... 158-182 



viii Contents. 



CHAPTER XI. 

The Waputehk Range — Height of the Mountains — Vast Snow Fields 
and Glaciers — Journey up the Bow — Home of a Prospector — Causes and 
Frequency of Forest Fires — A Visit to the Lower Bow Lake — Muskegs — 
A Mountain Flooded with Lee — Delightful Scenes at the Upper Bow 
Lake — Beauty of the Shores — Lake Trout — The Great Bow 
Glacier ........... 183-204 

CHAPTER XII. 

Sources of the Bow — The Little Fork Pass — Magnificence of the 
Scenery — Mount Murchison — Camp on the Divide — A High Mountain 
Ascent — Future of the Bo7i> Lakes — Return down the Bow — Search for a 
Pass — Rema?'kable Agility of Pack-Horses — The "Bay" and the "Pinto " 
— Mountain Solitudes — Mount Hector — Difficult Nature of JoJnision 
Creek — A Blinding Snow- Storm — Forty- Mile Creek — Mount Edith 
Pass ........... 205-219 

CHAPTER XIII. 
HISTORICAL. 

Origin and Rise of the Fur Trade — 1 he Coureurs des Bois a?id the 
Voyageurs — Perils of the Canoe Voyages — The LLudson Bay Company and 
the Northwest Company — Lntense Rivalry — Downfall of the Northwest 
Company — Sir Alexander Mackenzie — His Character and Physical En- 
dowments — Cook's Explorations — Mackenzie Starts to Penetrate the 
Rockies — The Peace River — A Marvellous Escape — The Pacific Reached 
by Land — Perils of the Sea and of the Wilderness . . . 220-236 

CHAPTER XIV. 
HISTORICAL. 

Captain Cooks Explorations — The American Fur Company — First 
Exploration of the Eraser River — Expedition of Ross Cox — Cannibalism 
— Simplicity of a Voyageur — Sir George Simpson s Journey — Discovery 



Contents. 



IX 



of Gold in 1858 — The Palliser Expedition — Dr. Hector s Adventures — 
Milton and Cheadle — Growth of the Dominion — Railroad Surveys — 
Construction of the Railroad — Historical Periods — Future Popularity 
of the Canadian Rockies . . . . . . 2 37~ 2 57 

CHAPTER XV. 

The Pleasures of the Natural Sciences — Interior of the Earth — 
Thickness of the Crust — Origin and Cause of Mountains — Their Age and 
Slow Growth — System in Mountain Arrangement — The Cordilleran Sys- 
tem — The Canadian Rockies — Comparison with Other Mountai?i Regions — 
Climate — Cause of Chinook Winds — Ejfect of High Latitude on Sun and 
Moon — Principal Game Animals — Nature of the Forests — Mountain 
Lakes — Camp Experie?ices— Effect on the Character . . 258-275 



Index 



277-283 




FULL-PAGE PHOTOGRAVURES. 



Frontispiece 



Mount Assiniboine . 



Banff Springs Hotel 

Bow River and Cascade Mountain 



Lake Louise 



Mount Lefroy and Mirror Lake 



Lake Agnes (in eari y jui y , i8 Q5 ) 



TOM CHINIQU V (By courtesy of Mr. S. B.Thompson, New Westminster, B. C„) 

Mount Temple, from the Saddle 



Discovery of Paradise Valley 



Camp in Paradise Valley 



Mount Sir Donald, from Eagle Peak 



Head of Rocky Mountain Sheep 



North Lake 



Summit Lake, near Mount Assiniboine 
Head of Rocky Mountain Goat cshotjuiy is, i8 9S ) 

THE WAPUTEHK RANGE (Looking across the range from near Hector) 

xi 



PAGE 

4 
10 

18 

38 
42 
50 
78 
92 

108 
126 
132 
152 

154 
164 

184 



XI I 



Full-Page Photogravures. 



Mount Daly 



Upper Bow Lake (Looking east) 
Upper Bow Lake (Looking west) 



PAGE 
192 

I96 

20O 



Source oe the Little Fork of the Saskatchewan 

River 206 

Storm in Little Fork Valley 208 

Mount Hector and Slate Mountains 

(From summit of a mountain near Little Fork Pass, 10,125 feet in altitude) . 2IO 

Camp at Little Fork Pass 212 



Upper Bow Lake (Looking south) 



Emerald Lake and Mount Field 



. 270 
. 272 




ILLUSTRATIONS IN THE TEXT. 



Rundle Mountain and Bow River 

LAKE LOUISE (Looking toward chalet) . 



Anemones . 



A Cool Retreat in the Forest 
Summit of Mount Temple 
Glacier House 

Peyto 

Packing the Buckskin . 

Calypso 

Approaching the Pass . 

NORTH LAKE (Looking northwest) 

Haunt of the Mountain Goat 

MOUNT ASSINIBOINE (From northwest) 

Lake on Vermilion Pass 
Ready to March 
Camp at Upper Bow Lake 
The " Bay " .... 
Falls of Leanciioil 

xiii 



PAGE 

'5 

31 
40 

75 

115 
120 
140 
142 

H3 
149 

157 
165 

167 
181 
186 
202 
214 
249 



CAMPING IN 
THE CANADIAN ROCKIES. 



CHAPTER I. 



Banff — Its Location — The Village — Tourists — Hotels — Topography 
of the Region — Rundle and Cascade Moimtains — The Devil's Lake — Sir 
George Simpson s Journey to this Region — Peechee the Ifidian Guide — 
An Indian Legend — The Missiofiary Rundle — Dr. Hector — The Climate 
of Banff — A Summer Snow-Storm — The Moimtains in Winter. 

THE principal resort of tourists and sportsmen in 
the Rocky Mountains of Canada is Banff. The 
location of the town or village of Banff" might be 
briefly described as being just within the eastern-most 
range of the Rocky Mountains, about one hundred and 
fifty miles north of the International boundary, or where 
the Canadian Pacific Railway begins to pierce the com- 
plex system of mountains which continue from this point 
westward to the Pacific coast. 

Banff is likewise the central or focal point of the 
Canadian National Park. There is so much of scenic 
interest and natural beauty in the surrounding mountains 
and valleys, that an area of some two hundred and sixty 



The Canadian Rockies. 



square miles has been reserved in this region by the gov- 
ernment and laid out with fine roads and bridle-paths 
to points of special interest. Order is enforced by a body 
of men known as the Northwest Mounted Police, a detach- 
ment of which is stationed at Banff. This organization 
has been wonderfully effective for many years past in 
preserving the authority of the laws throughout the vast 
extent of northwestern Canada by means of a number of 
men that seems altogether insufficient for that purpose. 

The small and scattered village of Banff occupies a 
flat plain near the Bow River. This large stream, the 
south branch of the Saskatchewan, one of the greatest 
rivers of North America, is at this point not only deep 
and swift but fully one hundred yards in width. A fine 
iron bridge spans the river and leads to the various hotels 
all of which are south of the village. The permanent 
population numbers some half thousand, while the various 
stores, dwellings, and churches have a general air of neat- 
ness and by their new appearance suggest the fact that 
the history of Banff extends back only one decade. 

During the summer season, the permanent population 
of Banff is sometimes nearly doubled by a great invasion 
of tourists and travellers from far distant regions. Over- 
land tourists from India, China, Ceylon, and England, the 
various countries of Europe and the Dominion of Canada, 
but chiefly from the United States, form the greater part 
of this cosmopolitan assemblage, in which, however, 
almost every part of the globe is occasionally represented. 
Some are bent on sport with rod or gun ; others on 



Tourists. 



mountaineering or camping expeditions, but the great 
majority are en route to distant countries and make Banff 
a stopping-place for a short period. 

Arrived at Banff, the traveller is confronted by a 
line of hack drivers and hotel employes shouting in loud 
voices the names and praises of their various hotels. 
Such sights and sounds are a blessed relief to the tourist, 
who for several days has witnessed nothing but the 
boundless plains and scanty population of northwestern 
Canada. The chorus of rival voices seems almost a wel- 
come back to civilization, and reminds one in a mild 
degree of some railroad station in a great metropolis. 
On the contrary, the new arrival finds, as he is whirled 
rapidly toward his hotel in the coach, that he is in a mere 
country village surrounded on all sides by high mountains, 
with here and there patches of perpetual snow near their 
lofty summits. 

Though the surrounding region, the adjacent moun- 
tains, and valleys represent nature in a wild and almost 
primitive state, one may remain at Banff attended by all 
the comforts of civilization. The several hotels occupy 
more or less scattered points in the valley south from the 
village. The one built and managed by the railroad 
stands apart from the village on an eminence overlooking 
the Bow River. It is a magnificent structure capable of 
accommodating a large number of guests. From the 
verandas and porches one may obtain a fine panoramic 
view of the surrounding mountains, and on the side 
towards the river the view combines water, forest, and 



4 The Canadian Rockies. 

mountain scenery in a most pleasing manner. The Bow 
River, some three hundred feet below, comes in from the left 
and dashes in a snowy cascade through a rocky gorge, then, 
sweeping away towards the east, is joined by the Spray 
River, a mad mountain torrent deep and swift, but clear 
as crystal, and with cold water of that deep blue color 
indicating its mountain origin. The wonderful rapidity 
with which these mountain streams flow is a source of 
astonishment and wonder to those familiar onlv with the 
sluggish rivers of lowland regions. Standing on the lit- 
tle iron bridge which carries the road across the stream 
and looking down on the water, I have often imagined I 
was at the stern of an ocean greyhound, so rapidly does 
each ripple or inequality sweep under and away from the 
eye. Though the water is less than a yard in depth, the 
current moves under the bridge at the rate of from nine 
to ten miles an hour. 

The best point from which to get a good general idea 
of the topography of Banff and its surroundings is from 
the summit of a little hill known as Tunnel Mountain. 
It is centrally located in the wide valley of the Bow, above 
which it rises exactly iooo feet, an altitude great enough 
to make it appear a high mountain were it not dwarfed 
by its mighty neighbors. The view from the summit is 
not of exceeding grandeur, but is well worth the labor of 
the climb, especially as a good path, with occasional seats 
for the weary, makes the walk an easy one. The top of 
the mountain is still far below the tree line, though the 
earth is too thin to nourish a rich forest. The soil was 



Banff Springs Hotel. 



View from Tunnel Mountain. 



all carried away in the Ice Age, for there are abundant 
proofs that this mountain was once flooded by a glacier 
coming down the Bow valley. The bare limestone of the 
summit is grooved in great channels pointing straight up 
the Bow valley. In some places scratches made by the ice 
are visible, and there are many quartz boulders strewed 
about which have been carried here from some distant 
region. 

The meandering course of the Bow River, the village, 
the hay meadows and grassy swamps, all form a pretty 
picture in the flat valley below. The eastern face of 
Tunnel Mountain is wellnigh perpendicular. The trail 
leads along near the summit and allows thrilling views 
down the sheer precipice to the flat valley of the Bow 
River far below. The trees and prominent objects of the 
landscape seem like toys, and the adjacent plains resemble 
a colored map. There are no houses or dwellings in view 
on this side, but a drove of horses grazing contentedly in 
a pasture near the river, awaiting their turn to be sent out 
into the mountains in the pack train of some sportsman 
or mountaineer, gives life and animation to the scene. 
On either side are two high mountains, conspicuous by 
their unusual outlines and great altitude. The one to 
the south is Rundle Mountain. It rises in a great curving 
slope on its west side, and terminates in a rugged escarp- 
ment with precipitous cliffs to the east, which tower in 
wonderful grandeur more than 5000 feet above the flood 
plains of the Bow River near its base. 

On the opposite side is Cascade Mountain, which is 
remarkable in being of almost identical height, and is in 



6 The Canadian Rockies. 

fact just two feet lower, as determined by the topographi- 
cal survey. The name of this mountain was given by 
reason of a large stream which falls from ledge to ledge 
down the cliffs of its eastern face in a beautiful cascade. 
Both this and Rundle Mountain are composed of the old 
Devonian and Carboniferous limestones, the strata of 
which are plainly visible. The structure is that of a 
great arch or anticline which has been completely over- 
turned, so that the older beds are above the newer. 
Several miles towards the east, the end of Devil's Lake 
may be seen appearing through a notch in the mountains. 
A fine road nine miles in length has been made to this 
lake and is one of the most popular drives in the vicinity 
of Banff. The lake is very long and narrow, about nine 
miles in length by three fourths of a mile in extreme 
breadth. The scenery is grand, but rather desolate, as the 
bare mountain walls on either side of the lake are not 
relieved by forests or abundant vegetation of any kind. 
The lake is, however, a great resort for sportsmen as it 
abounds in large trout, of which one taken last year 
weighed thirty-four pounds. The name of the lake gives 
illustration of the tendency among savages and civilized 
people to dedicate prominent objects of nature to the 
infernal regions or the master spirit thereof. There is no 
apparent limit to the number of places named after the 
Devil and his realm, while the names suggested by more 
congenial places are conspicuous by their absence. The 
original name, Lake Peechee, was given by Sir George 
Simpson in honor of his guide. 



Sir George Simpson. 7 

The scattered threads of history which relate to this 
part of the Rocky Mountains are suggested by these 
names and indeed this lake has an unusual interest for this 
reason. In a region where explorations have been very 
few and far between, and where only the vague traditions 
of warlike events among the Indians form a great part of 
the history, each fragment and detail set forth by the old 
explorers acquires an increased interest. 

Previous to the arrival of the railroad surveyors, the 
chief men on whom our attention centres are Sir George 
Simpson, Mr. Rundle, and Dr. Hector. 

The expedition of Sir George Simpson possesses much 
of interest in every way. He claims to have been the first 
man to accomplish an overland journey around the world 
from east to west. After having traversed the greater 
part of the continent of North America, he entered the 
stupendous gates of the Rocky Mountains in the autumn 
of 1 841. He travelled with wonderful rapidity, and was 
wont to cover from twenty to sixty miles a day, according 
to the nature of the country. His outfit consisted of a 
large band of horses, about forty-five in number, attended 
by cooks and packers sufficient for the needs of this great 
expedition. Nevertheless the long cavalcade of animals, 
when spread out in Indian file along the narrow trails were 
difficult to manage, and it not infrequently happened that 
on reaching camp several horses proved to be missing, a 
fact which would necessitate some of the men returning 
fifteen or twenty miles in search of them. 

Passing to the south of the Devil's Head, a remark- 



S The Canadian Rockies. 



able and conspicuous mountain which mav be recognized 
far out on the plains, Sir George Simpson entered the 
valley occupied by the lake. In this part of his journey 
he was guided by a halt-breed Indian named Peechee, a 
chief of the Mountain Crees. Peechee lived with his wife 
and family on the borders of this lake, and Simpson 
named it after him, a name, however, which never 
gained currency. Dr. Dawson transferred the name to 
a high mountain south of the lake, and substituted the 
Indian name of Minnewanka, or in English, Devil's Lake. 

The guide Peechee seems to have possessed much 
influence among his fellows, and whenever, as was often 
the case, the Indians gathered around their camp-fires 
and gossiped about their adventures, Peechee was listened 
to with the closest attention on the part of all. Nothing 
more delights the Indians than to indulge their passion for 
idle talk when assembled together, especially when under 
the soothing and peaceful influence of tobacco, — a fact 
that seems strange indeed to those who see them only 
among strangers, where they are wont to be remarkably 
silent. 

A circumstance of Indian history connected with the 
east end of the lake is mentioned by Sir George Simpson, 
and admirably illustrates the nature of savage warfare. 
A Cree and his wife, a short time previously, had been 
tracked and pursued by five Indians of a hostile tribe into 
the mountains to a point near the lake. At length they 
were espied and attacked by their pursuers. Terrified by 
the fear of almost certain death, the Cree advised his wife 



An Indian Legend. 



to submit without defending herself. She, however, was 
possessed of a more courageous spirit, and replied that as 
they were young and had but one life to lose they had 
better put forth every effort in self-defence. Accordingly 
she raised her rifle and brought down the foremost warrior 
with a well aimed shot. Her husband was now impelled 
by desperation and shame to join the contest, and mor- 
tally wounded two of the advancing foe with arrows. 
There were now but two on each side. The fourth war- 
rior had, however, by this time reached the Cree's wife and 
with upraised tomahawk was on the point of cleaving her 
head, when his foot caught in some inequality of the 
ground and he fell prostrate. With lightning stroke the 
undaunted woman buried her dagger in his side. Dis- 
mayed by this unexpected slaughter of his companions, 
the fifth Indian took to flight after wounding the Cree in 
his arm. 

Rundle Mountain, which has been already mentioned 
and which forms one of the most striking mountains in 
the vicinity of Banff, is named after a Wesleyan mission- 
ary who for many years carrried on his pious labors 
among the Indians in the vicinity of Edmonton. Mr. 
Rundle once visited this region and remained camped for 
a considerable time near the base of Cascade Mountain, 
probably shortly after Sir George Simpson explored this 
region. The work of Mr. Rundle among the Indians 
appears to have been highly successful, if one may judge 
by the present condition of the Stoneys, who are honest, 
truthful, and but little given to the vices of civilization. 



io The Canadian Rockies. 



Even to this day the visitor may see them at Banff 
dressed in partly civilized, partly savage attire, or on rare 
occasions decked out in all the feathers and beaded belts 
and moccasins that go to make up the sum total of savage 
splendor. 

Our attention comes at last to Dr. Hector, who was 
connected with the Palliser expedition. It is exceed- 
ingly unfortunate that the blue-book in which the vast 
amount of useful information and interesting adventure 
connected with this expedition is so clearly set forth 
should be now almost out of print. There are no availa- 
ble copies in the United States or Canada and but very 
few otherwise accessible. Dr. Hector followed up the 
Bow River and passed the region now occupied by Banff 
in the year 1858. He was accompanied by the perse- 
vering and ever popular botanist, Bourgeau. Under the 
magic spell of close observation and clear description, the 
most commonplace affairs assume an unusual interest in 
all of Dr. Hector's reports. It is very evident that 
game was much more abundant in those early days than 
at present. For instance, Dr. Hector's men shot two 
mountain sheep near the falls of the Bow River, which are 
but a few minutes' walk from the hotel. Likewise when 
making a partial ascent of the Cascade Mountain, Dr. 
Hector came on a large herd of these noble animals, con- 
cerning which so many fabulous tales of their daring leaps 
down awful precipices have been told. He also mentions 
an interesting fact about the death of a mountain goat. 
An Indian had shot a goat when far up on the slope of 



Bow River und Cascade Mountain. 



The Climate of Banff. 1 1 



Cascade Mountain, but the animal, though badly wounded, 
managed to work its way around to some inaccessible 
cliffs near the cascade. Here the poor animal lingered 
for seven days with no less than five bullets in its body, 
till at length death came and it fell headlong down the 
precipice. 

The climate of Banff during the months of July and 
August is almost perfection. The high altitude of 4500 
feet above the sea-level renders the nights invariably cool 
and pleasant, while the mid-day heat rarely reaches 8o° in 
the shade. There is but little rain during this period 
and in fact there are but two drawbacks, — mosquitoes and 
forest-fire smoke. The mosquitoes, however, are only 
troublesome in the deep woods or by the swampy tracts 
near the river. The smoke from forest fires frequently 
becomes so thick as to obscure the mountains and veil 
them in a yellow pall through which the sun shines with 
a weird light. 

An effect of the high northern latitude of this part of 
the Rocky Mountains is to make the summer days very 
long. In June and early July the sun does not set till 
nine o'clock, and the twilight is so bright that fine print 
can be read out doors till eleven o'clock, and in fact there 
is more or less light at midnight. 

In June and September one never knows what to 
expect in the way of weather. I shall give two examples 
which will set forth the possibilities of these months, 
though one must not imagine that they illustrate the 
ordinary course of events. In the summer of 1895, 






1 2 The Canadian Rockies. 



after having suffered from a long period of intensely hot 
weather in the east, I arrived at Banff on the 14th of 
June. It was snowing and the station platform was cov- 
ered to a depth of six inches. The next day, however, 
I ascended Tunnel Mountain and found a most extraor- 
dinary combination of summer and winter effects. The 
snow still remained ten or twelve inches deep on the 
mountain sides, though it had already nearly disappeared 
in the valley. Under this wintry mantle were many varie- 
ties of beautiful flowers in full bloom, and, most conspicu- 
ous of all, wild roses in profusion, apparently uninjured 
by this unusually late snow-storm. I made a sad discov- 
ery near the top of the mountain. Seeing a little bird 
fly up from the ground apparently out from the snow, 
I examined more closely and observed a narrow snow- 
tunnel leading down to the ground. Removing the 
snow I found a nest containing four or five young birds 
all dead, their feeble spark of life chilled away by the 
damp snow, while the mother bird had been, even when 
I arrived, vainly trying to nurse them back to life. 

This storm was said to be very unusual for the time 
of year. The poplar trees in full summer foliage suffered 
severely and were bent down to the ground in great 
arches, from which position they did not fully recover 
all summer, while the leaves were blighted by the frost. 
As a general rule, however, mountain trees and herbs 
possess an unusual vitality, and endure snow and frost or 
prolonged dry weather in a remarkable manner. The 
various flowers which were buried for a week by this late 



The Mountains in Winter. 13 



storm appeared bright and vigorous after a few warm 
days had removed the snow. 

Toward the end of September, 1895, there were two 
or three days of exceptionally cold weather, the ther- 
mometer recording 6° Fahrenheit one morning. I made 
an ascent of Sulphur Mountain, a ridge rising about 
3,000 feet above the valley, on the coldest day of that 
period. The sun shone out of a sky of the clearest 
blue without a single cloud except a few scattered wisps 
of cirrus here and there. The mountain summit is cov- 
ered with a few straggling spruces which maintain a bare 
existence at this altitude. The whole summit of the 
mountain, the trees, and rocks were covered by a thick 
mantle of snow, dry and powdery by reason of the severe 
cold. The chill of the previous night had condensed a 
beautiful frost over the surface of the snow everywhere. 
Shining scales of transparent ice, thin as mica and some 
half-inch across, stood on edge at all possible angles and 
reflected the bright sunlight from thousands of brilliant 
surfaces. This little glimpse of winter was even more 
pleasing than the view from the summit, for the moun- 
tains near Banff do not afford the mountain climber grand 
panoramas or striking scenery. They tend to run in long 
regular ridges, uncrowned by glaciers or extensive snow- 
fields. 

A never failing source of amusement to the residents 
of Banff, as well as to those more experienced in mountain 
climbing, is afforded by those lately arrived but ambitious 
tourists who look up at the mountains as though they 



H The Canadian Rockies. 



were little hills, and proceed forthwith to scale the very 
highest peak on the day of their arrival. A few years 
ago some gentlemen became possessed of a desire to 
ascend Cascade Mountain and set off with the intention 
of returning the next day at noon. Instead of following 
the advice of those who knew the best route, they would 
have it that a course over Stoney Squaw Mountain, an 
intervening high ridge, was far better. They returned 
three days later, after having wandered about in burnt 
timber so long that, begrimed with charcoal, they could 
not be recognized as white men. It is not known whether 
they ever so much as reached the base of Cascade Moun- 
tain, but it is certain that they retired to bed upon arriv- 
ing at the hotel and remained there the greater part of 
the ensuing week. 

Cascade Mountain, however, is a difficult mountain 
to ascend, not because there are steep cliffs or rough 
places to overcome, but because almost every one takes 
the wrong slope. This leads to a lofty escarpment, and 
just when the mountaineer hopes to find himself on the 
summit, the real mountain appears beyond, while a great 
gulf separates the two peaks and removes the possibility 
of making the ascent that day. 

Banff, with its fine drives and beautiful scenery, its 
luxurious hotels and delightful climate, will ever enjoy 
popularity among tourists. The river above the falls is 
wide and deep and flows with such gentle current as to 
render boating safe and delightful. The Vermilion lakes, 
with their low reedy shores and swarming wild fowl, offer 



Vermilion Lakes. 



15 



charming places for the canoe and oarsman, at least when 
the mosquitoes, the great pest of our western plains and 
mountains, temporarily disappear. Nevertheless, the cli- 
mate of Banff partakes of the somewhat dryer nature of 

the lesser and more eastern sub-ranges of the Rocky Moun- 
tains. There is not sufficient moisture to nourish the 
rich forests, vast snow-fields, and thundering glaciers of 
the higher ranges to the west, which in imagination we 
shall visit in the ensuing chapters. 




RUNDLE MOUNTAIN AND BOW RIVER. 



CHAPTER II. 

Lake Louise — First Impressions — An Abode of Perpetual Winter — 
The Chalet — Visitors — Stirring Tales of Adventure — Primeval Forests — 
Forest Fires — Mosquitoes and Bull-Dog Flies — Mortal Combats between 
Wasps and Bull- Dogs — The Old Chalet — Morning on the Lake — Approach 
of a Storm — Sublimity of a Mountain Thunder- Storm — Cloud Effects — 
The Lake in October — A Magnificent Avalanche from Mt. Lefroy — A 
Warning of Approaching Winter. 



LAKE LOUISE is one of the most beautiful 
sheets of water in the Canadian Rockies. Many 
who have travelled extensively say it is the 
most charming spot they have ever beheld. The lake 
is small, but there is a harmonious blending of grandeur 
and quiet beauty in the surrounding mountains which 
in some way makes a perfect picture out of lofty snow 
peaks in the distance and dark forested slopes near at 
hand. 

The lake is a little more than a mile long and about 
one fourth of a mile wide. The outline is remarkably 
like that of the left human foot. Forests come down 
nearly to the water's edge on all sides of the lake, but 
there is a narrow margin of rough angular stones where 
the ripples from the lake have washed out the soil and 

16 



First Impressions. 17 



even undermined the trees in some places. The water is 
a blue-green color, so clear that the stones on the bot- 
tom and the old water-logged trunks of trees, long since 
wrested from the shores by storms and avalanches, may 
be discerned even in several fathoms of water. The lake 
is 230 feet deep in the centre, and the bottom slopes down 
very suddenly from the shores. 

The west shore makes a gently sinuous or wavy line, 
forming little bays and capes. Ever new and artistic 
foregrounds are thus presented, with the forest making a 
retreating line of vegetation down the shore. Nothing 
could be more beautiful than this border of the lake, 
rough and tangled though it is, with a strange mingling 
of sharp boulders and prostrate trees covered with moss 
and half concealed by copses of alder bushes and flowering 
shrubs. 

I shall never forget my first view of Lake Louise. 
From the station, the old trail, constantly ascending as it 
approaches the lake, leads its irregular course through 
the forest. After a walk of nearly three miles, partial 
glimpses of the lake and surrounding mountains were 
obtained from among the tall spruce trees. A short 
rapid descent of a small ridge- placed us on the borders 
of the lake. 

It would be difficult indeed to give even a partial de- 
scription of the scene. Imagine a cool morning with the 
rising sun just beginning to touch the surface of a moun- 
tain lake. The air is tranquil and calm so that the glassy 
surface of the water mirrors the sky and mountains per- 



1 8 The Canadian Rockies. 



fectly. In the realm of sound, too, all is repose but for the 
call of birds near at hand among the balsam trees. From 
the shores of the lake on either side rise great mountains, 
showing cliffs and rocky ledges or long sweeping slopes 
of forest to the tree line. Higher still are bare slopes, 
crags, ledges, and scattered areas of snow. At the end 
of the lake a great notch in the nearer mountains reveals 
at a distance the wall-like, lofty mass of Mount Lefroy. 
This most imposing snowy mountain stands square across 
the gap, and with a sharp serrated cliff piercing the very 
vault of heaven, shuts off the view and forms the most 
conspicuous object of all. The lower part of the moun- 
tain is a vertical cliff or precipice where the longitudinal 
strata are distinctly visible. Above, rise alternating slopes 
covered with perpetual snow and hanging glaciers, the 
white-blue ice of which is splintered by deep rents and 
dark yawning crevasses. This mountain forms part of 
the continental water-shed, for on the other side the melt- 
ing snows finally reach the Pacific Ocean, while on the 
near side the snows swept into the valleys by avalanches, 
and melted by the warmer air of lower altitudes, find their 
way at length into the Saskatchewan River and Hudson 
Bay. 

There is something wonderfully attractive about this 
mountain. The pleasure grows as one continues to gaze 
at the immense mass ; harsh and stern and cold though it 
be, it excites awe and wonder as though here were the 
rocky foundation and substratum of the globe. This is 
the abode of perpetual winter, where ice and snow and 



Lake Louise. 



Mountain Flowers. 19 



bleak rocks exist apart. Here all is grand but menacing, 
dangerous, and forbidding. And these high mountains and 
deep valleys, suggesting that some awful storm at sea had 
become petrified into colossal waves to stand at rest for- 
ever, have been carved out by rain and running water, frost 
and change of temperature, through the lapse of count- 
less ages. 

Our attention finally came to the quiet beauty of the 
surrounding vegetation, where among the scattered skir- 
mishers of the forest are flowering shrubs, and in the more 
open grassy places forming the swampy borders of the 
lake, are many bright flowers. The white mountain anem- 
ones in several varieties, the familiar violets, the yellow 
columbine with beautiful pendent blossoms claiming re- 
lationship to its Eastern cousin with scarlet flowers, the 
fragrant spiranthes, and orchids with pale-green flowers, 
resembling insects on a leafy stem, may all be seen in 
profusion near the north side of the lake. These humble 
herbs, with their gaudy coloring, are the growth of a sin- 
gle season, but on all sides are copses of bushy plants 
which endure the long winter, some of them clad in a garb 
of evergreen and, like the annual plants, bearing ele- 
gant floral creations. The most conspicuous is the sheep 
laurel, a small bush adorned with a profusion of crimson- 
red flowers, each saucer-shaped, hanging in corymbs 
among the small green leaves. Various shrubs with 
white flowers, some small and numerous, others large and 
scattered, make a contrast to the ever present laurel, while 
the most beautiful of all is a species of mountain rhodo- 



20 The Canadian Rockies. 



dendron, a laroe bush, the most elegant amon^ the moun- 
tain heaths, with large white flowers in clustered umbels. 
In earh' July this bush may be found, here and there, scat- 
tered sparingly in the forest in full blossom at the level 
of Lake Louise, but after this one must seek ever higher 
on the mountain side as the advancing summer creeps to 
altitudes where spring is later. 

The early morning visitor turns with sharpened appe- 
tite to the hotel, if we may call it such, — a little Swiss chalet 
of picturesque architecture built on an eminence in full view 
of the lake. Here the tourist may live in rustic comfort for 
a day, or for weeks, should he desire to prolong his visit. 

Tourists come sparingly to Lake Louise. Unlike 
Banff with its varied attractions, there is little here out- 
side of nature, and few have the power to appreciate 
nature alone. Of those who do come, only a small 
number really see the lake with its forests and mountains 
combined in exquisite attractiveness. They see the out- 
lines of mountains, but know not whether they are near 
or distant, nor whether their scale is measured in yards or 
miles ; they see the water of the lake, but not the reflec- 
tions in it, the ever changing effects of light and shade, 
sun and shadow, ripple and calm. There are trees tall 
and slender, but whether they be spruce or pine, larch or 
hemlock, is all the same ; and as to the flowers — some are 
differently colored from others. 

A visitor to the lake once asked in good faith, appar- 
ently, if the mountains at the head of the lake were not 
white from chalk ; another, why the water of the stream 



Visitors. 2 1 



— which leads out from the lake and rushes in roaring 
cascades over its rocky channel toward the Bow River — 
runs so fast down hill. 

Fortunately, however, those who are not blessed with 
that ever present source of pleasure, a love for nature, at 
least to a slight degree, are exceptional. Nevertheless, 
that most people lose much pleasure from a lack of close 
observation is often painfully evident. I have seen, alto- 
gether, several hundred tourists arrive at the lake, coming 
as they do in small parties, or singly, from day to day, 
and have found it a very interesting study to observe 
their first impressions as the lake bursts on their view. 
Some remain motionless studying the details of the scene, 
usually devoting their chief attention to the lake and for- 
ests, but less to the mountains, for mountains are the least 
appreciated of all the wonders of nature, and are not fully 
revealed except after years of experience. Others glance 
briefly and superficially towards the lake, and rush hastily 
into the chalet for breakfast, balancing their love for 
nature against hunger for material things in uneven scale. 
Some remain a week or ten days, but the great majority 
spend a single day and leave, feeling that they have ex- 
hausted the charms of the place in so short a time. A single 
day amid surroundings where there are such infinite possi- 
bilities of change in cloud and storm, heat and cold, the 
dazzling glare of noon, or the calm romantic light of a 
full moon, and the slow progress of the seasons, gives but 
one picture, a single mood from out a thousand, and it 
may perchance be the very worst of all. 



3 ) 



The Canadian Rockies. 



Upon climbing- the steps to the open porch of the 
chalet and entering' the large spacious sitting-room, the 
eye falls at once on a fireplace of old-time proportions, 
and within its walls of brick, huge logs are burning, with 
more vigor indeed but hardly less constancy than the 
ancient fires of the Vestal Virgins. Round this spacious 
hearth visitors and guests gather, for the air at Lake 
Louise is always sharp at morning and evening. Indeed, 
frosts are not rare throughout the summer and may occur 
any week even in July and August. The high altitude of 
the lake, which is a little more than 5600 feet above 
sea-level, is in great part the cause of this bracing 
weather. On the hottest day that I have ever seen at the 
lake in the course of three summers the thermometer 
registered only 78 . 

The visitors who come to Lake Louise are of the same 
cosmopolitan character and varied nationality as those at 
Banff. Often of a cold night have I sat by the large fire, 
our only source of light, and listened to tales of adventure 
told by those who have visited the most distant and un- 
frequented parts of the earth. Englishmen, who have 
spent the best years of their life in India, were among 
our entertainers, and while beverages varying in nature 
according to nationality or tastes of each were passed 
around, I have heard thrilling accounts of leopard and 
tiger hunts in the jungle, blood-curdling tales of treachery 
and massacre or daring exploits in the Indian wars, and 
rare experiences in unknown parts of Cashmere and 
Thibet. 



Primeval Forests. 23 



Though the great majority of visitors to the lake are 
strangers, there are some half-dozen whose familiar faces 
reappear each successive season ; like pilgrims they make 
this region the termination of a long annual journey, and 
here worship in " temples not built by human hands." 
Among these lovers of nature, far distant England and 
Ceylon are represented no less than the nearer cities of 
the United States. The peculiar charms of this locality 
present an inexhaustible treasurehouse of delightful ex- 
periences that grow by familiarity. One's impressions of 
the beauty of the lake increase year by year as the full 
meaning of each detail becomes more thoroughly ap- 
preciated. 

A fact of great importance, which goes far to make up 
the ensemble of the surroundings of Lake Louise, is the 
perfect condition of the forests, which rise in uniform, 
swelling slopes of dark-green verdure from the rocky 
shores of the lake far up the mountain sides to those 
high altitudes where the cold air suggests an eternal winter 
and dwarfs the struggling trees into mere bushes. The 
frequent forest fires, which have wrought so much destruc- 
tion throughout the entire Canadian Rockies, have not as 
yet swept through this valley. The great spruces and 
balsams of this primeval forest indicate by their size that 
for hundreds of years no fire has been through this region. 
Some large tree stumps near the chalet show hundreds of 
rings, and one that I counted started to grow in the year 
1492, when Columbus set forth to discover the western 
world. 



24 The Canadian Rockies. 



Nevertheless, on hot days after a long period of dry 
weather, when the air is laden with the fragrant odor of 
the dripping balsam and of the dry resin hardened in yellow 
tears on the scarred trunks of the trees, and when the 
dead lower branches hung with long gray moss seem to 
offer all the most combustible materials, one feels certain 
that the slightest spark would result in a terrible confla- 
gration. Apparently, however, the past history of this 
valley has never recorded a fire, whether started by care- 
less Indian hunters or that frequent cause, lightning. 
So far as I am aware, there are no layers of buried char- 
coal or reddened soil under the present forest which 
would indicate an ancient fire. 

Some years ago — apparently more than twenty, — a 
fire destroyed the forest near the station of Laggan, which 
is less than two miles from the lake in a straight line. 
The fire approached within a mile of the lake and then 
died out. There are two causes which will always tend 
to preserve these beautiful forests if the visitors are not 
careless and counteract them. The prevalent wind is out 
of the valley toward the Bow valley, so that a fire would 
naturally be swept away from the lake. Another cause 
is the natural moisture of this upland region. The very 
luxuriance of the vegetation indicates this, while in the early 
morning the whole forest often seems reeking with moist- 
ure, even when there has been no rain for weeks. The 
chill of night appears to condense a heavy dew under the 
trees and moistens all the vegetation, so that the forest 
rarely becomes so exceedingly dry as often happens in 
wide valleys at lower altitudes. 



Mosquitoes and Bull-Dogs. 



25 



Though the scenery and climate at Lake Louise seem 
almost ideally perfect during the summer time, nature 



al 



ways renders compensation in some iorm or other, an 



foi 



>th( 



never allows her creatures to enjoy complete happiness. 
The borders of the lake and the damp woods breed myriads 
of mosquitoes, which conspire to annoy and torture both 
man and beast. They appear early in spring and sud- 
denly vanish about the 15th or 20th of August each year. 
The chill of night causes them to disappear about ten 
o'clock in the evening, not to be seen again until the 
atmosphere begins to grow warm in the morning sun. 

Another insect pest is a species of fly called the " bull- 
dog," a name suggested by its ferocious bite. These 
large insects are about an inch in length and are armed 
with a formidable set of saws with which they can rapidly 
cut a considerable hole through the skin of a man or the 
hide of a horse. The bull-dogs frequent the valleys of the 
Canadian Rockies, varying locally in their numbers, and 
seem to prefer low altitudes and a considerable degree 
of heat, for they are always most voracious and numerous 
on hot dry days. These flies, when numerous, will almost 
make a horse frantic. Their bite feels like a fiery cinder 
slowly burning through the skin, but fortunately they do 
not cause much trouble to man, for they are led by instinct 
to seek the rough surfaces of animals and almost invariably 
light on the clothes instead of the hands or face. They 
have a most blood-thirsty and cruel enemy in the wasp, 
and if it were not for the inexhaustible supply of the bull- 
dogs, the wasps would annihilate the species. Nothing 
in the habits of insects could be more interesting than the 



26 The Canadian Rockies. 



strange manner in which the wasps set out deliberately in 
pursuit of a bull-dog fly, to overtake and seize the clumsy 
victim in mid air. Both insects fall to the ground with a 
terrible buzzing and much circling about while the mad 
contest goes on. Meanwhile the wasp works with the 
rapidity of lightning, and with its sharp powerful jaws dis- 
severs legs and wings, which fall scattered in the melee, 
till the bull-dog is rendered helpless and immovable. 
Last of all, the wasp cuts off the head of its victim, then 
leaves the lifeless and limbless body in order to continue 
the chase. 

I have seen a wasp thus dismember and kill one of 
these large flies in less than thirty seconds. They seem 
to perform their murderous acts out of pure pleasure, as 
they do not linger over their prey after the victim is dead. 

The water of Lake Louise is too cold to admit of 
bathing except in a very brief manner. The temperature 
of the water near the first of August is about 56 . 

The old chalet, built in rustic fashion with unhewn 
logs, was placed near the lake shore much closer than the 
present building. One day in 1893, when every one was 
absent, the building caught fire and burned to the ground. 
Remarkably enough the forest did not take fire, though 
some of the trees were close to the building. 

Usually in the early morning, before the sun has 
warmed the atmosphere and started the breezes of day- 
time into motion, the lake is tranquil and its surface 
resembles a great mirror. About nine o'clock, the first 
puffs of wind begin to make little cat's-paws at the far 



Approach of a Storm. 27 



end of the lake, which widen and extend until finally the 
whole water becomes rippled. A gentle breeze continues 
to sweep down the lake from the snow mountains toward 
the Bow valley all day long, and the water rarely becomes 
smooth till after sunset. This is the usual order of events 
in fair weather, a condition which may continue for several 
weeks without a drop of rain. 

The approach and progress of a storm, the wonderful 
atmospheric changes attending it, and the ever moving 
clouds obscuring the mountain tops reveal the lake in 
the full grandeur of its surroundings. An approaching 
storm is first announced by scattered wisps of cirrus 
cloud, which move slowly and steadily from the west in 
an otherwise blue sky. In the course of twenty-four 
hours the cirrus clouds have become so thick that they 
often resemble a thin haze far above the highest moun- 
tains. The sun with paled light can no longer pierce this 
ever thickening hazy veil. The wind blows soft and warm 
from out the south or southwest, and generally brings up 
the smoke of forest fires from the Pacific coast, and ren- 
ders the atmosphere still more obscure, till at length the 
sun appears like a great ball of brass set in a coppery sky. 
The trees and grass appear to change their color and 
assume a strange vivid shade of green in the weird light. 
Sometimes light feathery ashes are wafted over the high 
mountains south of the lake and settle down gently like 
Hakes of snow. The falling barometer announces the 
coming storm, and presently another layer of clouds, the 
low-lying cumulus, form just above the highest peaks and 



28 The Canadian Rockies. 



settle gradually lower till they touch the mountain tops. 
Rain soon follows, the clouds settle till they almost rest 
on the water of the lake, and the wind increases in violence. 

Sometimes thunder-storms of considerable fury sweep 
through the valley and among the mountains, one after 
another for several days. A violent thunder-storm at 
night among these lofty mountains is one of the grandest 
phenomena of nature. The battling of the elements, the 
unceasing roar of the wind in the forest, and the crash of 
thunder redoubled by echoes from the rocky cliffs, — all con- 
spire to fill the imagination with a terrible picture of the 
majesty and sublimity of nature. From the lake there 
comes up a low, hoarse murmur, not the roar of ocean 
surf, but the lesser voice of a small mountain lake lashed 
to fury and beating with its small waves on a rocky shore. 
The noise of the forest, the sound of colliding branches 
as the tall trees sway to and fro in the furious wind, and 
the frequent crack and crash of dead forest giants over- 
come by the elements form the dull but fearful monotone, 
above which the loud rumble of thunder rises in awful 
grandeur. These are the sounds of a mountain storm. 

The bright flashes of lightning reveal a companion 
picture, for in the momentary light succeeded by absolute 
darkness the lake is revealed covered with foamy white 
caps. The forests on the mountain side seem to yield to 
the blast like a field of wheat in a summer breeze, and the 
circling clouds sweep about the mountain slopes and con- 
ceal all but their bases. 

Should the storm clear away during the daytime one 



Cloud Effects. 29 



may witness grand cloud effects. The low-hanging masses 
of clouds left behind by the battling elements slowly rise 
and occasionally reveal small areas of blue sky among the 
moving vapors. Gentle puffs of air sweep over the calm 
surface of the water, making little areas of ripples here 
and there, only to be succeeded by a tranquil calm, as if 
the storm spirit were sending forth his dying gasps inter- 
mittently. While the air is thus calm below, the circling 
wisps of vapor high up on the mountain, rising and descend- 
ing, show that the battle between the sun and the clouds is 
still raging. From above the saturated forests, the rising 
vapors condense and increase in size till at length, caught 
in some counter-current, they are swept away or carried 
downward, while the dissolving cloud spreads out in wisps 
and streamers till suddenly it disappears into transparent 
air, — a veritable cloud ghost. At length the mountain 
tops appear once more, white in a light covering of new 
snow, and, as the great masses of cumulus rise and disap- 
pear the sky appears of that deep blue-black color pecul- 
iar to mountain altitudes, while the sun shines out with 
dazzling brilliancy through the clear atmosphere. 

The last visit I made to Lake Louise was toward the 
middle of October, 1895. A very snowy, disagreeable 
September had been followed by a long period of milder 
weather with much bright sunshine. The new snow, 
which had been quite deep near the lake, had altogether 
disappeared except high up on the mountain side. It 
was the true Indian summer, a season with a certain mel- 
low charm peculiar to it alone, characterized by clear 



So The Canadian Rockies. 



sunny weather, a calm atmosphere, a low, riding sun, and 
short days. Most of the flowers were withered. The 
deciduous bushes, lately brilliant from frost, were rap- 
idly losing their foliage, and the larches were decked in 
pale yellow, far up near the tree line. However, the 
greater part of the vegetation is evergreen, and the 
spruces, balsams, and pines, the heaths, ericaceous plants, 
and the mosses contrive to set winter at nought by wear- 
ing the garb of a perpetual summer in a region where 
snow covers the ground three fourths of the year. 

I could not resist the temptation as the morning train 
rolled up to the station at Laggan to get off for the day 
and make another visit to the lake. The sunrise had 
been unusually brilliant and there was every promise of 
a fine day. There is rarely much color at sunrise or sun- 
set in the mountains. The dry clear atmosphere has 
little power to break up the white light into rainbow 
colors and give the brilliancy of coloring to be seen near 
the sea-coast or in the lowlands. The tints are like the 
air itself — pure, cold, and clear. With more truth they 
might be called delicate shades or color suggestions. 
They recall those exquisite but faint hues seen in topaz 
or tourmaline crystals, or transparent quartz crystals, 
wherein the minutest trace of some foreign mineral has 
developed rare spectrum colors and imprisoned them 
forever. Oftimes the snow of the mountain tops is thus 
tinted a bright clear pink, beautifully contrasted against 
the intensely blue sky. I have never seen a deep red on 
the mountains or clouds at these altitudes. The effect 



The Lake in October. 



3 1 



of forest-fire smoke is to give muddy colors : the sun 
resembles a brazen globe, and the sky becomes coppery 
in appearance. 

After breakfast at the station house, I set off over the 
hard frozen road toward the lake. I carried my camera 
and luncheon on my back, my only companion being a 
small dog which appeared ready for exercise. The air 
was frosty and cold ; the low-riding sun had not as yet 
struck into the forest trees and removed the rime from 
the moss and leaves on the ground. 

In somewhat less than an hour, I arrived at the lake. 
All was deserted ; the chalet closed, the keeper gone, 
and the tents 
taken down. 
Even the 
boats, which 
usually rest- 
ed near the 
shore, had 
been put 
under cover. 
The cold air 
was perfectly 
calm, and my 
vapory breath 
rose straight 
upwards. The 

mirror surface of the water was disturbed by some wild 
fowl — black ducks and divers — which swarm on the lake 




LAKE LOUISE LOOKING TOWARD CHALET. 



The Canadian Rockies. 



at this season. Their splashings, and the harsh cries of 
the divers came faintly over the water. It seemed 
strange that these familiar haunts could appear so fear- 
fully wild and lonely merely because man had resigned 
his claim to the place and nature now ruled alone. All 
at once a wild unearthly wail from across the water, 
the cry of a loon, one of the most melancholy of all 
sounds, startled me, and gave warning that activity alone 
could counteract the effect of the imagination. 

Accordingly I walked down the right shore of the lake 
with the intention of going several miles up the valley and 
taking some photographs of Mount Lefroy. The flat 
bushy meadows near the upper end of the lake were 
cold, and all the plants and reedy grass were white with 
the morning frost. The towering cliffs and castle-like 
battlements of the mountains on the south side of the 
valley shut out the sun, and promised to prevent its 
genial rays from warming this spot till late in the after- 
noon, if at all, for a period of several months. In the 
frozen ground, as I followed the trail, I saw T the tracks 
of a bear, made probably the day before. Bruin had gone 
up the valley somewhere and had not returned as yet, so 
there was a possibility of making his acquaintance. 

I was well repaid for my visit this day, as a magnificent 
avalanche fell from Mount Lefroy. Mount Lefroy is a 
rock mountain rising in vertical cliffs from between two 
branches of a glacier which sweep round its base. A 
hanging glacier rests on the highest slope of the moun- 
tain, and, ascending some distance, forms a vertical face of 



A Magnificent Avalanche. 



33 



ice nearly three hundred feet thick at the top of a great 
precipice. The highest ridge of the mountain is covered 
with an overhanging cornice of snow, which the storm 
winds from the west have built out till it appears to reach 
full one hundred feet over the glacier below. At times, 
masses of ice break off from the hanging glacier and fall 
with thundering crashes to the valley far below. 

I was standing at a point some two miles distant 
looking at this imposing mountain, when from the vertical 
ice wall a great fragment of the glacier, some three hun- 
dred feet thick and several times as long, broke away, and, 
slowly turning in mid-air, began to fall through the airy 
abyss. In a few seconds, amid continued silence, for the 
sound had not yet reached me, the great mass struck a 
projecting ledge of rock after a fall of some half thousand 
feet, and at the shock, as though by some inward explosion, 
the block was shivered into thousands of smaller fragments 
and clouds of white powdery ice. Simultaneously came 
the first thunder of the avalanche. The larger pieces led 
the way, some whirling around in mid-air, others gliding 
downward like meteors with long trains of snowy ice dust 
trailing behind. The finer powdered debris followed after, 
in a long succession of white streamers and curtains re- 
sembling cascades and waterfalls. The loud crash at the 
first great shock now developed into a prolonged thunder 
wherein were countless lesser sounds of the smaller pieces 
of ice. It was like the sound of a great battle in which the 
sharp crack of rifles mingles with the roar of artillery. 
Leaping from ledge to ledge with ever increasing velocity, 



,4 The Canadian Rockies. 



the larger fragments a t length reached the bottom of the 
precipice, while now a long white train extended nearly 
the whole height of the grand mountain wall 2500 feet 
from base to top. 

Imagine a precipice sixteen times higher than Niagara, 
nearly perpendicular, and built out of hard flinty sandstone. 
At the top of this giant wall, picture a great glacier with 
blue ice three hundred feet thick, crevassed and rent into 
a thousand yawning caverns, and crowding downwards, 
ever threatening to launch masses of ice large as great 
buildings into the valley below. Such avalanches are 
among the most sublime and thrilling spectacles that 
nature affords. The eye alone is incapable of appreciating 
the vast scale of them. The long period of silence at first 
and the thunder of the falling ice reverberated among the 
mountain-walls produce a better impression of the distance 
and magnitude. 

I arrived at the lower end of the lake toward one 
o'clock. The lake was only disturbed in one long narrow 
strip toward the middle by a gentle breeze while all the 
rest was perfectly calm. This was one of those rare days 
of which each year only affords two or three, when the 
lake is calm at midday under a clear sky. The mirror 
surface of the water presented an inverted image of the 
mountains, the trees on the shore, and the blue sky. The 
true water surface and the sunken logs on the bottom of 
the lake joined with the reflected objects in forming a 
puzzling composite picture. 

The brilliant sun had taken away the chill of morning 



Approaching Winter. 35 



and coaxed forth a few forest birds, but there were no flow- 
ers or butterflies to recall real summer. It seemed as 
though this were the last expiring effort of autumn before 
the cold of winter should descend into the valley and with 
its finger on the lips of nature cover the landscape with a 
deep mantle of snow and bind the lake in a rigid layer of 
ice. Even at this warmest period of the day the sun's rays 
seemed inefficient to heat the atmosphere, while from the 
cold shadows of the forest came a warning that winter was 
lurking near at hand, soon to sweep down and rule unin- 
terrupted for a period of nine long months. 




0^5 




CHAPTER III. 



Surroundings of the Lake — Fositio?i of Mountains and Valleys — The 
Spruce and Balsam Firs — The Ly all's Larch — Alpine Flowers — The 
Trail among the Cliffs — The Beehive, a Monument of the Past — Lake 
Agnes, a Lake of Solitude — Summit of the Beehive — Lake Louise in the 
Distant Future. 

AMONG the mountains on all sides of Lake Louise 
are many scenes of unusual beauty and grandeur. 
While the lake itself must be considered the 
focal point of this region, and is indeed wonderfully 
attractive by reason of its rare setting, the encircling 
mountains are so rough and high, the valleys separating 
them so deep and gloomy, yet withal so beautiful, that 
the scenery approaches perfection. The forces of nature 
have here wrought to their utmost and thrown together 
in apparently wild confusion some of the highest moun- 
tains in Canada and carved out gloomy gorge and rocky 
precipice till the eye becomes lost in the complexity of it 
all. Lakes and waterfalls reveal themselves among the 
rich dark forests of the valleys, and afford beautiful fore- 
grounds to the distant snow mountains which seem to 
tower ever higher as one ascends. 

A brief description of the topography in the vicinity of 
Lake Louise would be now in place. Southwestward from 



The Summit Range. 37 



the lake is a range of very high and rugged mountains 
covered with snow and glaciers. This range is the crest 
of the continent of North America, in fact the great 
water-shed which divides the Atlantic and Pacific drain- 
age. In this range are many peaks over 1 1,000 feet 
above sea level, an altitude which is near the greatest 
that the Rocky Mountains attain in this latitude. While 
farther south in Colorado there are scores of mountains 
13,000 or 14,000 feet high, it must be remembered that 
no mountains in Canada between the International 
boundary and the railroad have yet been discovered that 
reach 12,000 feet. Nevertheless, these mountains of lesser 
altitude are far more impressive and apparently much 
higher because of their steep sides and extensive fields of 
perpetual snow. 

This great range, forming the continental water-shed 
runs parallel to the general trend of the Rocky Mountains 
of Canada, or about northwest and southeast. Several 
spur ranges branch off at right angles from the central 
mass and run northeast five or six miles. Between these 
spur ranges are short valleys which all enter into the wide 
valley of the Bow. Lake Louise occupies one of these 
lesser valleys. 

The several lateral valleys are all comparatively near 
Lake Louise and differ remarkably in the character of the 
scenery and vegetation. One is beautiful and richly cov- 
ered with forests ; another desolate and fearfully wild. The 
valley of Lake Louise contains in all three lakes, of which 
the smallest is but a mere pool, some seventy-five yards 
across. 



»8 The Canadian Rockies. 



j 



Far up on the mountain side to the north of Lake 
Louise two little lakes were discovered many years ago. 
They are now to the visitor who spends but one day, 
almost the chief point of interest in this region. The trail 
thither leads into the dense forest from near the chalet 
and proceeds forthwith to indicate its nature by rising 
steadily and constantly. The tall coniferous trees cast a 
deep cool shade even on a warm day. So closely do the 
trees grow one to another that the climber is entirely 
shut out from the world of mountains and surrounded by 
a primeval forest as he follows the winding path. Among 
the forest giants there are two principal trees, the spruce 
and the balsam fir. Each is very tall and slender and at 
a distance the appearance of the two trees is closely simi- 
lar. The spruce is the characteristic tree of the Rockies 
and is found everywhere. It reaches a height of 75 or 
100 feet in a single tapering bole, closely beset with small 
short branches bent slightly downward, as though better 
to withstand the burden of snow in winter. In open 
places the lower branches spread out and touch the 
ground, but in forests they die and leave a free passage 
between the trees. The balsam tree is quite similar but 
may be discerned by its smoother bark which is raised 
from underneath by countless blisters each containing a 
drop of transparent balsam. Here and there are a few 
tall pines rivalling the spruces and firs in height but 
affording a strong contrast to them in their scattered 
branches and larger needles. 

The ground is covered with underbrush tangled in a 



Mount Lefroy and Mirror Lake. 



' 



The Lyall's Larch. 



39 



dense luxuriance of vegetable life and partly concealing 
the ancient trunks of fallen trees long since covered with 
moss and now slowly decaying into a red vegetable mold. 

At length, after half an hour of constant climbing, a 
certain indefinable change takes place in the forest. The 
air is cooler, the trees g*ow wider apart, and the view is 
extended through long vistas of forest trees. Presently 
a new species of tree, like our Eastern tamarack, makes its 
appearance. It is the Lyall's larch, a tree that endures 
the rigors of a subalpine climate better than the spruces 
and balsam firs, so that it soon becomes to the climber 
among- these mountains an almost certain indication of 
proximity to the tree-line. 

It is not far from the truth to say that the Lyall's 
larch is the most characteristic tree of the Canadian 
Rockies. It is not found in the Selkirk Range just west 
of the main range, and while it has indeed been found as 
far south as the International boundary, it has not been 
discovered in the Peace River valley to the north. Re- 
stricted in latitude, it grows on the main range of the 
Rockies only at a great altitude. Here on the border- 
land between the vegetable and mineral kingdoms it 
forms a narrow fringe at the tree-line and in autumn its 
needles turn bright yellow and mark a conspicuous band 
around all the cliffs and mountain slopes at about 7000 feet 
above sea level. Its soft needles, gathered in scattered 
fascicles, are set along the rough and tortuous branches, 
affording a scanty shade but permitting of charming 
glimpses of distant mountains, clouds, and sky among its 



4Q 



The Canadian Rockies. 






flfc* 



gray branches and light-green foliage. It seems incapable 
of sending up a tall slender stem but branches out irregu- 
larly and presents an infinite variety of forms. Possibly 
for this reason the larch cannot contest with the slender 
spruces and firs of the valley, where it would be crowded 
out of ligfht and sun among 1 its taller rivals. 

Presently the trail leads from out the forest and 
crosses an open slope where some years ago a great snow- 
slide swept down and stripped the trees from the moun- 
tain side. Here, 1200 feet above Lake Louise, the air 
feels sensibly cooler and indicates an Alpine climate. 

The mountains now reveal themselves in 
far grander proportions than from below, as 
they burst suddenly on the view. Nature 
ready made compensation for the de- 
d forest by clothing this slope with a 
ion of wild flowers, though much 
nt in character from those at Lake 
Louise. Alpine plants and 
several varieties of heather, 
in varying shades of red or 
pink and even white, cover the 
ground with their elegant coloring. 
One form of heath resembles al- 
most perfectly the true heather of Scotland, and by its 
abundance recalls the rolling hills and flowery highlands 
of that historic land. The retreating snow-banks of June 
and July are closely followed by the advancing column of 
mountain flowers which must needs blossom, bear fruit, 




A Monument of the Past. 4 1 



and die in the short summer of two months duration. 
One may thus often find plants in full blossom within a 
yard of some retreating snow-drift. 

On reaching the farther side of the bare track of the 
avalanche, the trail begins to lead along the face of craggy 
cliffs like some llama path of the Andes. The mossy 
ledges are in some places damp and glistening with 
trickling springs, where the climber may quench his thirst 
with the purest and coldest water. Wherever there is 
the slightest possible foothold the trees have established 
themselves, sometimes on the very verge of the precipice 
so that their spreading branches lean out over the airy 
abyss while their bare roots are flattened in the joints 
and fractures of the cliff or knit around the rocky projec- 
tions like writhing serpents. 

More than four hundred feet below is a small circular 
pond of clear water, blue and brilliant like a sapphire crys- 
tal. Its calm surface, rarely disturbed by mountain breezes, 
reflects the surrounding trees and rocks sharp and distinct 
as it nestles in peace at the very base of a great rock 
tower — the Beehive. Carved out from flinty sandstone, 
this tapering cone, if such a thing there be, with horizon- 
tal strata clearly marked resembles indeed a giant bee- 
hive. Round its base are green forests and its summit is 
adorned by larches, while between are the smooth preci- 
pices of its sides too steep for any tree or clinging plant. 
What suggestions may not this ancient pile afford ! 
Antiquity is of man ; but these cliffs partake more of the 
eternal — existing forever. Their nearly horizontal strata 



4- The Canadian Rockies. 



were formed in the Cambrian A?e, which eeoloeists tell 
us was fifty or sixty millions of years ago. Far back in 
those dim ages when the sea swarmed with only the lower 
forms of life, the fine sand was slowly and constantly set- 
tling to the bottom of the ocean and building up vast 
deposits which now are represented by the strata of this 
mountain. Solidified and made into flinty rock, after the 
lapse of ages these deposits were lifted above the ocean 
level by the irresistible crushing force of the contracting 
earth crust. Rain and frost and moving ice have sculp- 
tured out from this vast block monuments of varied form 
and aspect which we call mountains. 

Just to one side of the Beehive a graceful waterfall 
dashes over a series of ledges and in many a leap and 
cascade finds its way into Mirror Lake. This stream 
flows out from Lake Agnes, whither the trail leads by a 
short steep descent through the forest. Lake Agnes is a 
wild mountain tarn imprisoned between gloomy cliffs, bare 
and cheerless. Destitute of trees and nearly unrelieved by 
any vegetation whatsoever, these mountain walls present a 
stern monotony of color. The lake, however, affords one 
view that is more pleasant. One should walk down the 
right shore a few hundred feet and look to the north. 
Here the shores formed of large angular blocks of stone 
are pleasantly contrasted with the fringe of trees in the 
distance. 

The solitary visitor to the lake is soon oppressed with 
a terrible sensation of utter loneliness. Everything in 
the surroundings is gloomy and silent save for the sound 



Lake Agnes. 

In early July, i£<?5- 



■»; 



A Lake of Solitude. 



43 



of a trickling rivulet which falls over some rocky ledges on 
the right of the lake. The faint pattering sound is echoed 
back by the opposite cliffs and seems to fill the air with a 
murmur so faint, and yet so distinct, that it suggests some- 
thing supernatural. The occasional shrill whistle of a 
marmot breaks the silence in a startling and sudden man- 
ner. A visitor to this lake once cut short his stay most 
unexpectedly and hastened back to the chalet upon hear- 
ing one of these loud whistles which he thought was the 
signal of bandits or Indians who were about to attack 
him. 

Lake Acmes is a narrow sheet of water said to be un- 
fathomable, as indeed is the case with all lakes before they 
are sounded. It is about one third of a mile in length 
and occupies a typical rock basin, a kind of formation that 
has been the theme of heated discussion among geologists. 
The water is cold, of a green color, and so pellucid that 
the rough rocky bottom may be seen at great depths. 
The lake is most beautiful in early July before the snow- 
banks around its edge have disappeared. Then the double 
picture, made by the irregular patches of snow on the bare 
rocks and their reflected image in the water, gives most 
artistic effects. 

From the lake shore one may ascend the Beehive in 
about a quarter of an hour. The pitch is very steep but 
the ascent is easy and exhilarating, for the outcropping 
ledges of sandstone seem to afford a natural staircase, 
though with irregular steps. Everywhere are bushes and 
smaller woody plants of various heaths, the tough strong 



44 The Canadian Rockies. 



branches of which, grasped in the hand, serve to assist the 
climber, while occasional trees with roots looped and knot- 
ted over the rocks still further facilitate the ascent. 

Arrived on the flat summit, the climber is rewarded for 
his toil. One finds himself in a light grove of the charac- 
teristic Lyall's larch, while underneath the trees, various 
ericaceous plants suggest the Alpine climate of the place. 

Though the climber may come here unattended by 
friends, he never feels the loneliness as at Lake Agnes. 
There the gloomy mountains and dark cliffs seem to sur- 
round one and threaten some unseen danger, but here the 
broader prospect of mountains and the brilliancy of the 
light afford most excellent company. I have visited this 
little upland park very many times, sometimes with friends, 
sometimes with the occasional visitors to Lake Louise, 
and often alone. The temptation to select a soft heathery 
seat under a fine larch tree and admire the scenery is irre- 
sistible. One may remain here for hours in silent con- 
templation, till at length the rumble of an avalanche from 
the cliffs of Mount Lefroy awakens one from reverie. 

The altitude is about 7350 feet above sea level and 
in general this is far above the tree line, and it is only 
that this place is unusually favorable to tree growth that 
such a fine little grove of larches exists here. Neverthe- 
less, the summer is very brief — only half as long as at Lake 
Louise, 1 700 feet below. The retreating snow-banks 
of winter disappear toward the end of July and new 
snow often covers the ground by the middle of Septem- 
ber. How could we expect it to be otherwise at this 



Summit of the Beehive. 



45 



great height and in the latitude of Southern Labrador? 
On the hottest days, when down in the valley of the Bow 
the thermometer may reach eighty degrees or more, the 
sun is here never oppressively hot, but rather genially 
warm, while the air is crisp and cool. Should a storm 
pass over and drench the lower valleys with rain, the air 
would be full of hail or snow at this altitude. The view 
is too grand to describe, for while there is a more exten- 
sive prospect than at Lake Louise the mountains appear 
to rise far higher than they do at that level. The 
valleys are deep as the mountains high, and in fact this 
altitude is the level of maximum grandeur. The often 
extolled glories of high mountain scenery is much over- 
stated by climbers. What they gain in extent they lose 
in intent. The widened horizon and countless array of 
distant peaks are enjoyed at the expense of a much 
decreased interest in the details of the scene. In my 
opinion one obtains in general the best view in the 
Canadian Rockies at the tree line or slightly below. 
Nevertheless every one to his own taste. 

The most thrilling experience to be had on the 
summit of the Beehive is to stand at the verge of the 
precipice on the east and north sides. One should 
approach cautiously, preferably on hands and knees, even 
if dizziness is unknown to the climber, for from the very 
edge the cliff drops sheer more than 600 feet. A stone 
may be tossed from this place into the placid waters of 
Mirror Lake, where after a long flight of 720 feet, its 
journey's end is announced by a ring of ripples far below. 



4° The Canadian Rockies. 



Lake Louise appears like a long- milky-green sheet of 
water, with none of that purity which appears nearer at 
hand. The stream from the glacier has formed a fan- 
shaped delta, and its muddy current may be seen extend- 
ing far out into the lake, polluting its crystal water and 
helping to fill its basin with sand and gravel till in the 
course of ages a fiat meadow only will mark the place of 
an ancient lake. 

There are even now many level meadows and swampy 
tracts in these mountains which mark the filled-up bed of 
some old lake. These places are called " muskegs," and 
though they are usually safe to traverse, occasionally the 
whole surface trembles like a bowl of jelly and quakes 
under the tread of men and horses. In such places let 
the traveller beware the treacherous nature of these 
sloughs, for on many an occasion horses have been sud- 
denly engulfed by breaking through the surface, below 
which deep water or oozy mud offers no foothold to the 
struggling animal. 

At the present rate of filling, however, the deep basin 
of Lake Louise will require a length of time to become 
obliterated that is measured by thousands of years rather 
than by centuries, — a conception that should relieve our 
anxiety in some measure. 





CHAPTER IV. 



Organizing a Party for the Mountains — Our Plans for the Summer — 
William Twin and l^om Chiniquy — Nature \ Habits, and Dress of the 
Stoney Indians — An Excursion on the Glacier — The Surface Debris and 
its Origin — Snow Line — Ascent of the Couloir — A Terrible Accident — 
Gating Down — An Exhausting Return for Aid — Hasty Organization of 
a Rescue Party — Cold and Miserable Wait on the Glacier — Unpleasant 
Surmises — " / Think You Die " — A Fortunate Termination. 

PREVIOUS to the summer of 1894 my experiences 
in the Canadian Rockies had made me acquainted 
with but little more of their general features 
and scenery than has been already described. This 
was sufficient, however, to prove that a most delightful 
summer could be spent among these mountains if a party 
of young men were organized with some definite object in 
view to hold the party together. Several of us accord- 
ingly assembled at one of our eastern colleges and dis- 
cussed plans for the summer. Four men were persuaded 
to go on this excursion after the glories of the region 
had been duly set forth and the evidence corroborated so 
far as possible by the use of photographs. We were to 
meet at Lake Louise, where our headquarters were to be 
at the chalet, as near the first of July as possible. 

Though the individual inclinations of the various 
members of our party might seem unlikely to harmonize 

47 



48 The Canadian Rockies. 



together, we had nevertheless agreed on carrying out a 
certain plan. One of the party was an enthusiastic 
hunter, another eager for the glories of mountain ascents, 
one a geologist, another carried away by the charms of 
photography, while the fifth and last was ready to join in 
almost any undertaking or enterprise whatsoever. 

However, our common purpose joined us all together 
to a certain degree. This was to explore and survey the 
region immediately around Lake Louise, to ascend several 
of the highest peaks, to get photographs of the best 
scenery, and in general to learn all we could about the 
environment of the lake. 

Three of us arrived at the lake one fine morning early 
in July. The beauty of the scenery seemed to make a 
deep impression on my friends, and fortunately the clouds 
which at first concealed the mountain tops lifted soon after 
our arrival and produced very grand effects. At that time 
there were two Stoney Indians at the lake, who were en- 
gaged in cutting a trail to a lately discovered point of 
interest. One of these was named William Twin ; his 
surname was probably derived from the fact that he had a 
twin brother, whose name was Joshua. A Stoney Indian 
who once acted as my guide was named Enoch ; and upon 
being asked his surname he replied, " Wildman." These 
curious cases afford good examples of the origin of names. 
William was a fine-looking Indian. He came nearer to a 
realization of the ideal Indian features such as one sees on 
coins, or in allegorical figures, than almost any savage I 
have ever seen. 



Stoney Indians. 49 



Tom Chiniquy was the other of the two Indians, and 
indeed the more important, as he is the eldest son of Chief 
Chiniquy, who in turn is under Bears' Paw, the head chief 
of all the Stoneys. An air of settled gravity, stern and 
almost bordering on an appearance of gloom, betokened 
his serious nature. I cannot but admire these Stoney In- 
dians, free as they are from the vices of civilization, while 
still retaining many of the simple virtues of savage life. 

As we saw the Indians every day we soon became ac- 
quainted with them, especially as William could talk quite 
intelligibly in English. The very first day of our arrival 
at the chalet the sharp eyes of the Indians, which seemed 
to be ever roving about in search of game, discovered a 
herd of goats on the mountain side. In vain did we try 
to see them, and at length, by means of a pair of powerful 
field glasses, they appeared as small white spots without 
definite forms, whereas to the Indians they were plainly 
visible. William was disgusted with us, and said, " White 
man no good eyes," in evident scorn. 

With practice, our race can excel the Indians in every 
undertaking requiring skill, patience, or physical endur- 
ance, with the exception of two things in which they are 
infinitely our superiors. These are their ability to discover 
minute objects at great distances, and to read those faint 
and indefinite signs made by the passage of man or game 
through the forests or on the hard plains, where a white 
man would be completely baffled. A turned leaf, a bent 
blade of grass, a broken twig, or even the sheen on the 
grass, leads the swarthy savage unerringly and rapidly 



,o The Canadian Rockies. 



along, where the more intelligent but less observant white 
man can see absolutely nothing. 

The Indian is said to be stolid and indifferent, while 
the hard labor which the squaws are compelled to undergo 
is always laid up against them as an evidence of their 
brutal character. But on the contrary this is their method 
of dividing labor, and a squaw whose husband is compelled 
to work about their camps is the subject of ridicule among 
the rest. The squaws do all the work which rationally 
centres around the camp-fire, just as our wives preside 
over our hearths and homes. The bucks provide the food, 
and should privation occur they will cheerfully share their 
last morsel with their wives and children, and, the more 
honor to them, they will do the same by a white man. 
The long and arduous labors of the chase, requiring the 
severest physical exertion, exhaust the strength, often while 
exposed to cold and rain for long periods of time. The 
bucks rightly consider their labor ended when they reach 
their camp, or " teepee " as they call them. Here the squaws 
preside and perform all the labor of cutting and cooking 
the meat, preserving and dressing the hides, and even 
gathering the firewood. They cut the teepee poles and 
set up their tents ; and when not occupied with these more 
severe labors, they spend their time in making moccasins, 
weaving baskets, or fancy sewing and bead-work. 

After all, the poor Indian is our brother, and not very 
unlike his civilized conqueror. One day William told me 
that the year before he had lost his squaw and four chil- 
dren by the smallpox, and that it had affected him so that 



Tom Chiniquy. 

By courtesy of Mr. S. B. Tho??ipson. 
New Westminster, B. C. 







*;« 






$bt*£. 



Indian Pathos. 5 1 



he could not sleep. In his own simple form of expression, 
it was most pathetic to hear him speak of this sad event, 
which evidently affected him deeply. " Me sleep no more 
now," he would say, " all time think me, squaw die, four 
papoose die, no sleep me. One little boy, me — love little 
boy, me — little boy die, no longer want to live, me." 

We had the satisfaction of rendering- a great service 
to William through his child, who was a bright and hand- 
some little fellow. By some accident a splinter of wood 
had become lodged in the boy's eye. We were at length 
attracted by the peculiar actions of the little fellow, and 
upon inquiry found that he must have been enduring 
great pain, though without making a murmur of discon- 
tent. We took the matter in hand at once and sent him 
down to Banff, where, under skilful medical attendance, 
his eyesight, than which nothing is more dear to an Indian 
and which was totally gone in the affected eye and par- 
tially so in the other, was restored in a great measure. 
William was very grateful to us ever after, and on return- 
ing, some ten days later, delivered himself somewhat as 
follows : li Me say very much obliged. Three white men 
pretty good, I think." 

The Stoneys are a remarkable tribe of Indians. Their 
headquarters is at a little place called Morley, about twenty 
miles east of the mountains on the plains. Here they are 
under the religious instruction of the Rev. Mr. McDougal. 
So far as the Indian is capable of receiving and following 
the precepts of Christianity, the Stoneys seem to have 
equalled or surpassed all other tribes. They are said to 



52 The Canadian Rockies. 

be great Bible readers, and they certainly show some 
familiarity with the Old Testament history, if we may 
judge by their custom of adopting Bible names. They 
have been taught a certain arbitrary code by which they 
can read and write in a simple manner, while many of 
them talk English if not fluently at least intelligibly. 

Their manner of dress is a concession to their own 
native ideas and those of civilization, for while they in- 
variably cling to moccasins and usually affect trousers cut 
from blankets with broad wings or flaps at the sides, their 
costume is not infrequently completed by some old dis- 
carded coat received by purchase or gift from the white 
man. These Indians rarely wear hat or cap, but allow 
their straight black hair to reach their shoulders and serve 
in place of any artificial protection. On either side of 
the face the hair is gathered into a braid so as to do away 
with the inconvenience of constantly pushing back their 
loose hair. 

Dr. Dawson says that the Stoney Indians have very 
few names for the mountains and rivers, and that they 
have only inhabited this region for about forty years. 
The greater part of the Indian names for various features 
of the country are in reality Cree or their equivalents in 
Stoney. The Stoneys have recently incorporated the 
families of the Mountain Crees with their own. Accord- 
ing to De Smet, both the Crees and the Stoneys migrated 
southward from the Athabasca region a few years before 
1849, an d it is probable that they entered this region 
about that time. 



Palliser's Opinion. 53 



I cannot conclude this digression on the Stoney 
Indians without quoting a few remarks from Captain 
Palliser's reports. Though written nearly forty years 
ago these facts are no less true than at that time. 

" The members of the Stone tribe are hard workers, 
as their life is one requiring constant exertion and fore- 
sight. They travel in the mountains or in the forests 
along their eastern base, in parties of six or seven families. 
The young men are always off hunting in search of moose 
or other kinds of deer, or of the Rocky Mountain sheep. 
The old men busy themselves cutting out the travelling 
tracks through the woods, while the women pack and 
drive the few horses they use for earring their small 
supplies. They generally use skin tents stretched on a 
conical framework of poles, but their wigwams are much 
smaller than those of the Plain Indians. The women 
dress all the skins of the animals they kill into a soft 
leather, which, when smoked, is the material used through- 
out the whole country for making moccasins, most of the 
fine leather being obtained from the Stoneys. They are 
excellent hunters, and though as a rule small and feeble 
in body, are probably capable of more endurance than 
any other class of Indians. They make trustworthy 
guides, and, with a few exceptions, after some acquaint- 
ance with this tribe, you no more expect to be deceived, 
or told lies, as a matter of course, than you would in a 
community of white men." 

So much for the Rocky Mountain Stoneys, or as they 
are sometimes called, the Assiniboines. 



54 The Canadian Rockies. 



The completion of our party did not take place at the 
wished-for time, and for more than two weeks Mr. F. and 
Mr, H., and I were alone at the chalet. We commenced 
our surveying work by measuring a very accurate base line 
on the lake shore, and began training by making various 
moderate excursions on the mountain sides. On the third 
day, however, after our arrival the whole plan of our party 
came near having a most sudden and unwished-for termi- 
nation, together with results which nearly proved fatal to 
one of the party. The accident and its attendant circum- 
stances proved the most exciting episode in all our experi- 
ences, and as it most clearly illustrates the chief danger 
of climbing in the Canadian Rockies, I shall describe it 
in detail. 

It happened in this manner. On the 13th of July, Mr. 
H., Mr. F., and I started to make an exploration of the 
glacier that is plainly visible from the chalet and which, 
some two miles distant, flows down from the snow fields 
and hanging glaciers of Mount Lefroy. This glacier is 
formed from two branches, which come in from the east, 
and uniting into one great stream, terminate about one 
mile above the head of the lake. The extreme length 
from the snout measured to the highest part of the gla- 
cier is about three miles, while the average width is less 
than one third of a mile. 

The object of this excursion was in great part to gain 
a little knowledge of the use of rope and ice-axe, which we 
expected would be required in much of our subsequent 
work. There was no difficulty in the first part of this 



Glacier Debris. 



55 



excursion, as a good trail leads round the lake and 
some half-mile beyond. There we forded the icy stream 
which comes from the glacier and pursued our way be- 
tween the moraine and the mountain side for nearly a 
mile on the east side of the glacier. Our next move was 
to ascend the moraine, which was very steep and about a 
hundred feet high at this point. On arriving at the sharp 
crest of the moraine, we saw the great ice stream some 
fifty feet below, and so thoroughly covered with debris 
and boulders that the glacier was almost totally concealed. 
The passage down the moraine was very disagreeable, as 
the loose stones all scratched and polished by their former 
passage under the glacier were now rolling from under 
our feet and starting up great clouds of dust. Just below, 
at the border of the glacier, the water from the melting 
ice had converted the clay of the moraine into treacherous 
pools of bluish-gray mud, veritable sloughs of despond. 
At length, by the use of our ice-axes, we gained the firmer 
ice and with it the advantage of far more pleasant walk- 
ing. We found the whole surface of the glacier literally 
covered with sharp stones and boulders of all sizes up 
to those which must have measured ten feet square by 
twenty feet long. They represented all sorts of forma- 
tions, shales, limestones, and sandstones thrown down in 
wild disorder over the entire surface of the ice. All this 
material had been wrested from the mountain side far up 
the valley by frost and avalanche, and was now slowly 
moving toward the great terminal moraine. In one place 
a large area of nearly half an acre was strewed with giant 



56 The Canadian Rockies. 



blocks of a peculiar kind of rock different from all the 
rest, which apparently had come thundering down the 
mountain walls in one great rock-slide many years ago. 
Large Mat slabs of shale were seen here and there sup- 
ported on pillars of ice, showing how much the general 
surface of the glacier had wasted away under the influ- 
ence of the sun's heat, while these pillars had been pro- 
tected by the shade of the stone. 

Advancing half a mile over the field of debris, we came 
gradually to where there were fewer stones, and at length 
reached almost pure ice. The question always arises 
where do all the boulders and pebbles that cover the 
lower parts of the glaciers come from ? In the upper 
parts of the glaciers or neve regions, where the snow 
remains perpetual and increases from year to year, the 
stones from the mountain sides are covered as they fall, 
and are at length buried deep and surrounded by ice as 
the snow becomes compressed and solidified. As the 
glacier advances down the valley and descends to lower 
altitudes, a level is at length reached where the snowfall 
of winter is exactly balanced by the melting of summer. 
This is the snow line, or rather this is the best place in 
which to locate such a variable level. Below this line the 
surface of the glacier melts away more than enough to 
make up for the winter fall of snow, and, as a result, the 
stones and debris buried in the ice gradually appear on 
the surface. In the Canadian Rockies near this latitude 
the snow line on northerly exposures, as judged by this 
method, is about 7000 feet above the sea, which is also 
just about the level called tree line. 



On the Glacier. 



57 



In mountainous regions, where the climate is very dry, 
as in Colorado or in certain parts of the Andes, there is 
a great belt of several thousand feet between tree line 
and snow line where there is not sufficient moisture to 
allow of tree growth nor sufficient snowfall to form 
glaciers at all. In the Canadian Rockies the climate is 
moist enough to make these lines approach, and in the 
Selkirk Range and regions of extreme humidity the snow 
line is actually lower than the tree line. 

We advanced slowly over the glacier and found much 
of interest on every side. The surface of the ice was at 
first comparatively smooth and channelled with small 
streams of pure water which flowed along with utmost 
rapidity but almost without ripples, as the smooth icy 
grooves seem adapted to every whim of the flowing water. 
At length the ice became more uneven and our passage 
was interrupted by crevasses, around which we had to 
thread our way by many a turn and detour. Most of 
them were, however, partly filled or bridged by snow and 
we found no particular difficulty in pursuing our way. 
About one o'clock we found ourselves at the base of 
Mount Lefroy, a little beyond the point where the two 
branches unite, and we held a consultation as to the plan 
of our farther advance. Mount Lefroy rises from the 
glacier in precipitous cliffs on every side, and we were 
even now under the shadow of its gloomy and threatening 
rock wall. There is no apparent method of scaling this 
mountain except by a long couloir or snow slope, which 
rises from the glacier and ascends nearly iooo feet to a 
more gentle slope above the precipice. It was our inten- 



5^ s The Canadian Rockies. 



tion to ascend this mountain, if possible, some time during 
the summer but the results of our first exploration for a 
favorable route rather inclined us to give up further 
attempts. 

The result of our consultation was the decision to 
climb a short way up the couloir in order to see if it were 
possible to reach the gentle slope above. If this proved 
practicable, the ascent of the mountain was almost assured, 
as no great difficulties presented themselves above. Ac- 
cordingly we commenced the ascent, all roped together in 
true Alpine fashion, and soon found the pitch so steep 
that our ice-axes rendered us much assistance in cutting 
steps. A number of great schrunds or horizontal cre- 
vasses often found on such slopes appeared to block our 
way, but as we approached we found a passage round 
every one. They were boat-shaped holes in the snow 
some forty or fifty feet deep and about the same width. 
The bottom of each appeared smooth and apparently of 
firm snow, so that they were not in reality very dangerous 
obstacles, as compared with the narrow and wellnigh 
unfathomable crevasses of an ordinary glacier. 

Nevertheless, when we had reached a point several 
hundred feet above the schrunds and were on a steep slope 
of snow, my companions advocated taking to the rock 
ledges on the right of the snow, as they were altogether 
inexperienced in mountain climbing and felt somewhat 
nervous. We found the rock ledges practicable and quite 
easy except for a great number of loose stones which 
went rattling down as we advanced. We were in a 



A Terrible Accident. 59 



gloomy narrow gorge filled with snow and hemmed in on 
either side by cliffs which rose with almost vertical sides, 
here and there dripping with water from the snows above. 

Whenever we paused for a momentary rest and the 
sliding, rattling stones ceased to fall, we were oppressed 
by the awful silence of this cheerless place of rocks and 
snow nearlv 8000 feet above sea level. 

It was while ascending these rock ledges that the acci- 
dent occurred which came so near proving disastrous. 
There were a series of ledges from six to ten feet high 
alternating with narrow shelves where the slope was only 
moderately steep. The whole place was strewed with loose 
stones and boulders, some of which were so delicately 
poised that the slightest touch seemed sufficient to send 
them crashing down the cliff. At length a very dangerous 
looking stone of large size could be seen on the next shelf 
above us apparently just balanced in its precarious position, 
for the light could be seen underneath its base. H. fol- 
lowed me in safety around this great boulder which must 
have weighed more than half a ton. I was on the point 
of ascending the next ledge with the assistance of H. when 
we both heard a dull grating sound below, and turning, 
beheld the great boulder starting to roll over, and F. just 
below it and on the point of falling over the cliff. F. 
fell about ten feet to the next shelf where he was partially 
checked by the rope and prevented from falling farther. 
But to our horror the boulder, which had now gained 
considerable motion, followed after, and leaping over the 
ledge, for a short but awful moment it seemed to hang in 



60 The Canadian Rockies. 

mid-air. and then came down on F. with terrible force. It 
seemed impossible that there should be anything left of 
our poor friend. With a horrible crash and roar the great 
stone continued down the gorge, attended by a thousand 
flying fragments till the rocky cliffs echoed again. 

After a momentary pause, unable to move and riveted 
to our places in horror, we hastily scrambled down to our 
companion who lay on the cliff insensible and bleeding. 
Our first efforts were to staunch his wounds with snow 
and then a hasty examination proved that though his hip 
appeared dislocated he had received probably no further 
serious injury. This escape appeared almost miraculous 
and it is probable that in the flying cloud of stones a 
smaller piece just happened to come under the great 
boulder and supported it partially at one end so that the 
full force of the blow was not felt. It was now half-past 
two in the afternoon and we were three hours' journey from 
the chalet with a man on our hands absolutely incapable 
of walking or even partially supporting his weight. It 
was evident that one of us must needs hasten back to the 
chalet for aid, but first it was necessary to get down the 
long snow-slope to the glacier. 

Fortunately our rope was fully sixty feet long and 
after tying a loop under F.'s shoulders, I anchored myself 
securely with my ice-axe in the snow, and then lowered 
him rapidly but safely the length of the rope. H. then 
went down to F, and held him while I descended, and 
thus after twelve or fifteen repetitions of this proceeding 
we all landed in safety on the glacier. Having selected a 



To the Rescue. 



61 



place on the ice which was partially covered with a few 
small stones, we took off our coats and placed our wounded 
companion on this hard cold couch. 

Carrying nothing but my ice-axe, I started for the 
chalet at once. The first part of the journey, while thread- 
ing the crevasses, was slow and somewhat dangerous without 
the rope, but by running whenever practicable and pushing 
my energies to the utmost, I reached the chalet in one 
hour and ten minutes, or less than half the time required 
by us to come up in the morning. Unfortunately no one 
was at the chalet except Joe the cook. I however got 
him started immediately to cut two long, stout poles and a 
piece of canvas with which to make a litter. The two 
Indians were on the mountain side near Mirror Lake 
working on the trail and Mr. Astley, the manager of the 
chalet, was guiding some visitors to Lake Agnes. There 
was no other course open than to climb up after them, 
though I was quite exhausted by this time. I found 
William after twenty minutes of hard climbing and made 
him understand the situation at once. One must use a 
simple manner of speech as near like their own as possible, 
so I said to him — " William, three white men go up big 
snow mountain. Big stone came down, hurt one man. 
Tom, Mr. Astley, you — all go up snow mountain, bring 
white man back." William's face was a picture of horror, 
and he asked in anxiety — " Kill him ? ' I said no, but that 
he must hurry and get the other men. Dropping his axe, 
he ran off for the others in all haste, while I returned to 
the chalet and gathered sundry provisions and stimulants. 



62 The Canadian Rockies. 



The rescuing party of four men was started in about 
thirty minutes, and taking the boat, rowed down the lake, 
till at last the small black speck on the water disappeared 
from our view as they neared the farther end. 

A two-and-a-half mile ride on horseback brought me 
to the railroad station, where I sent a telegram to Banff 
for the Doctor. As there would be no train till the next 
morning I made arrangements for a hand-car to bring 
the Doctor up at once. A response soon came back that 
he was just about to start on his long ride of thirty-eight 
miles to Laggan. 

Meanwhile poor F. and H. were having a miserable 
time of it on the glacier. The long hours rolled by one 
after another and no sign of aid or assistance was appar- 
ent. The days were still very long, but at length the 
declining sun sank behind the great ridge or mountain 
wall extending northward from Mount Lefroy. The gla- 
cier which imparts a chilly dampness even to the brilliancy 
of a mid-day sun now rapidly became cold in the length- 
ening shadows, and the surface waters began to freeze, 
while the deep blue pools of water shot out little needles 
of ice with surprising rapidity. 

As they had seen me no more after I had disappeared 
behind a swelling mound of ice, they conjured up in their 
imaginations the possibility that I had fallen into some 
deep crevasse or had hurt myself on the treacherous 
moraine. At length, urged to desperate resolves, they 
formed a plan of leaving the ice by the nearest route, 
at whatever hazard to life and limb, rather than die of 



Indian Consolation. 63 



cold and exposure on the glacier. They had abundant 
opportunity for studying the grand phenomena of this 
Alpine region near at hand : the thundering avalanches 
from the cliffs behind them, and the cracking, groaning 
ice of the glacier as the great frozen stream moved slowly 
over its rocky uneven bed. 

At length, to their great joy, they discerned by means 
of a field-glass which we had carried with us in the morn- 
ing, the boat leaving the lake shore and slowly approach- 
ing. In half an hour the party reached the near end of 
the lake and were then lost to view for nearly two hours, 
till at length four little black dots appeared about a mile 
distant moving over the ice toward them. 

The rescuing party did not reach them till seven 
o'clock, or more than four hours after the accident oc- 
curred. The return to the chalet was most exhausting 
to the men, especially to the Indians, whose moccasins 
afforded poor protection against the sharp stones and ice 
of the glacier. 

Two section men came up from Laggan and met the 
party as they were returning, and afforded timely aid by 
their fresh strength. Poor F. was carried in a canvas 
litter hastily constructed and consequently not perfect 
in its results, as it only served to lift him a very little 
above the ground at the best and then where the ground 
was very smooth. William observed his haggard face and 
woe-begone appearance with concern and entertained the 
invalid at frequent intervals by such remarks as, "You 
think you die, me think so too." The rescuing party ar- 



64 



The Canadian Rockies. 



rived at the chalet shortly after midnight, while the Doctor 
appeared an hour later. Each party had been travelling 
for the last five hours toward the chalet, and while one 
was accomplishing about three miles the other covered 
more than forty. 

Fortunately there were no injuries discovered that 
would not heal in a few weeks, and through the influence 
of mountain air and perfect rest, recovery took place much 
more quickly than could be expected. 




CHAPTER V. 

Castle Crags — Early Mor?iing on the Mountain Side — View from the 
Summit — Ascent of the Aiguille — An Avalanche of Rocks — A Glorious 
Glissade — St. Piran — Its Alpine Flowers and Butterflies — Expedition to 
an Unexplored Valley — A Thirsty Walk through the Forest — Discovery 
of a Mountain Torrent — A Lake in the Forest — A Mountain Amphi- 
theatre — The Saddle — Impressive View of Mt. Temple — Summit of Great 
Moimtain — An Ascent in Vain — A Sudden Storm in the High Mountains 
— Phenomenal Fall of Temperature — Grand Cloud Effects. 

WHILE poor F. was recovering from his in- 
juries, and before the two other men had 
arrived, H. and I carried on the work of 
surveying the lake, and made several interesting excur- 
sions on the adjacent mountain sides. 

One fine cool morning, we went up the valley about 
half a mile beyond the end of the lake, and commenced 
an ascent of the sharp-crested ridge on the east side of 
the valley. This ridge forms a connection between the 
massive mountain on the left of the lake, known as Great 
Mountain, and a very high summit, crowned with a fine 
glacier, and named by some one Hazel Peak, which lies 
about two miles due south of Lake Louise. This con- 
necting ridge we called Castle Crags, a name readily sug- 
gested by the irregular forms and outlines of the sharp 

5 65 



66 The Canadian Rockies. 



needles and fingers, pointing heavenward, which adorned 
its highest crest, and seemed to represent the battle- 
ments and embrasures of some great castle. Several 
sharp columns of stone, with vertical sides, and narrow, 
graceful forms, rose up from this great parapet built by 
nature. Resembling feudal towers or donjons, they 
seemed by their great altitude to pierce the blue vault 
of heaven, and to dwarf by their proximity the snowy 
crest of Hazel Peak, which, in reality, is several thousand 
feet higher. 

To ascend this ridge, and, if possible, gain the summit 
of one of these needles, from which we hoped to obtain a 
fine idea of the valley to the east, was the purpose of our 
excursion. The ascent proved easy almost from the start. 
On leaving the stream, which we crossed by means of 
some great trees, long since overcome by age or storm, 
and now serving as convenient bridges at frequent inter- 
vals, we commenced to ascend a long, even slope of lime- 
stone boulders, stable in position, and affording easy walk- 
ing. The air was fresh and cool, for the morning sun 
was just rising over the crest of Castle Crags, while the 
rays of light seemed to skip from boulder to boulder, and, 
gently touching the higher points, left the others in shade. 
There were no bushes or tangled underbrush to impede 
our way, and so we had abundant opportunity to enjoy 
the beautiful flowers which cropped out in little patches 
among the yellow, gray, and cream-colored limestones. 
This was a mountain climb that proved thoroughly enjoy- 
able, for all the conditions of atmosphere, of weather, and 



Morning on the Mountain Side. 67 



easy ascent were in our favon There is a charm about 
the early morning hours among the high mountains. The 
bracing coolness of the air, as yet still and calm after the 
chill and quiet of night, the gradually rising sun and in- 
creasing light, the unusual freshness of the flowers and 
green vegetation, in their sparkling bath of dew, and the 
quiet calls of birds, — all seemed to herald the birth of a new 
day, far richer in promise than any heretofore. The after- 
noon, with its mellow light and declining sun, is like the 
calm, cool days of October, with its dusty foliage and sear 
leaves, brilliant in autumnal colors, but ever suggesting 
the approach of bleak winter, and pointing back to the 
glories of the past. The morning points forward with a 
different meaning, and hopefully announces the activity of 
another day, even as spring is the threshold and the 
promise of summer time. 

As we advanced, and gradually increased our altitude, 
the plants and flowers changed in variety, character, and 
size, till at length we left all vegetation behind, and 
reached the bottom of a long, gentle slope of snow. The 
sun had not, as yet, touched the snow, and it was hard 
and granular in the frosty air. The first snow on a 
mountain climb is always pleasant to a mountaineer. To 
him, as, indeed, to any one, the summer snow-bank has 
no suggestion of winter, with its desolate landscapes and 
cold blasts, but rather of some delightful experiences in 
the mountains during vacation. These lingering relics of 
winter have little power to chill the air, which is often 
balmy and laden with the fragrance of flowers, in the im- 



68 The Canadian Rockies. 



mediate vicinity of large snow areas. The trickling 
rivulet, formed from the wasting snows of the mountain 
side, is often the only place where, for hours at a time, the 
thirsty climber may find a cold and delicious draught. 
Instead of destroying the flowers by their chilly influence, 
these banks of snow often send down a gentle and con- 
stant supply of water, which spreads out over grassy slopes 
below, and nourishes a little garden of Alpine flowers, 
where all else is dry and barren. 

Arrived at the top of the long snow-slope, we found our- 
selves already nearly 3000 feet above the valley and not 
far below the crest of the ridge. A rough scramble now 
ensued over loose limestone blocks, where we found the 
sharp edges, and harsh surfaces of these stones, very hard 
on our shoes and hands. Upon reaching the crest, we be- 
held one of those fearfully grand and thrilling views which 
this portion of the Rocky Mountains often affords. The 
most conspicuous object in the whole view was the glacier, 
which descends from the very summit of Hazel Peak, 
at an altitude of more than 10,000 feet, and sweeps down 
in a nearly straight channel to the north, and in the course 
of but little more than a mile descends 4000 feet. A 
gloomy, narrow valley hems in its lower half, and on the 
side where we were, the precipice rose, in nearly perpen- 
dicular sides from the ice, far heavenward to where we 
stood. We launched a few large stones over the verge of 
the beetling precipice, and watched them descend in a few 
great leaps into the awful abyss, where they were broken 
into a thousand fragments on projecting ledges, or else, 



Ascent of the Aiguille. 69 



striking the glacier, continued their course till the eye 
could no longer follow them. 

We were standing just at the base of one of the 
aiguilles which, from the valley, seem like sharp points of 
rock, but, now that we were near, proved to be about sixty 
feet high. This needle appeared to be precipitous and in- 
accessible on our first examination. But we discovered a 
narrow crevice or gully on the west side which apparently 
offered a safe method of ascent. I was soon near the top 
of the needle, but at the most difficult part, where only 
one small crack in the rock offered a good hand-hold, I 
was warned not to touch one side where the cliff seemed 
parted, and filled with loose material. Making a reconnais- 
sance, I found the back of this same crag likewise separated 
a little from the solid rock, and the crevice partially dis- 
guised by loose stones and dirt, which had settled in and 
filled the hollow. This crag was about ten feet high and 
six or seven feet square, and though it seemed impossible 
to disturb so great a mass, I felt inclined to take the safer 
course and leave it entirely alone, so I scrambled up by a 
more difficult route. 

Arrived on the top of the needle, I told H., who had re- 
mained below, to get under shelter while I should put this 
crag to the test. He accordingly found a projecting ledge 
of rock a little to one side, while I sat down and got a 
good brace and started to push with my feet against the 
top of the crag. A slight effort proved sufficient, and 
with a dull grating sound the great mass, which must have 
weighed about twenty-five tons, toppled slowly over on its 



;o The Canadian Rockies. 

base, and then fell with a fearful crash against the sides of 
the cliff, and commenced to roll down the mountain side 
like a veritable avalanche. Through the cloud of dust 
and flying stones I could faintly discern the features of my 
friend below, apparently much interested in what was going 
on. It was well that I had not trusted to this treacherous 
stone. 

After I had pushed down most of the loose stones, H. 
came up and joined me on the summit of the aiguille. 
This needle had a blunt point indeed, for it proved to be 
a flat table about fifty feet long and ten feet wide. 
We were 8,700 feet above sea-level, and the wind 
was raw and chilly as it swept up from the valley and 
over this ridge. The sun had but little power to temper 
the air, and we soon started on our descent. In about five 
minutes we reached the top of the long snow-slope, where 
we enjoyed a glorious glissade and rapidly descended more 
than a thousand feet. The best manner of glissading is 
to stand straight up and slide on the feet, having one leg 
straight and the other slightly bent at the knee. Trailing 
the ice-axe behind as a precaution against too great speed, 
or to check the motion in case of a fall, the mountaineer 
can thus, in a few minutes, rapidly coast down long slopes 
which may have required hours of toil to ascend. Nothing 
in the experience of climbers is more exhilarating than a 
good glissade down a long snow-slope. The rush of air, 
the flying snow, and the necessity for constant attention 
to balance — all give a sensation of pleasure, combined with 
a spice of danger, without which latter almost all our 



St Piran. 7 1 

sports and pastimes are apt to be tame. Do not many of 
our best sports, such as polo, horseback riding, foot-ball, 
yachting, and canoe sailing, gain some of their zest from a 
constant possibility of danger ? 

A few minutes of rapid descent down the limestone 
slope led us to a fine, small spring, which dashed in a 
score of small streamlets over some rocky ledges covered 
with moss and ferns. Here we sat down in the cool 
shade of the cliffs and ate our lunch. The air was now 
warm and still, because we were not far above the valley, 
and here, instead of seeking the warmth of the sun as 
we had done on the cold mountain summit, a brief three- 
quarters of an hour before, we now enjoyed the shade 
afforded by the rocks and forest near us. We reached 
the chalet in time for a second lunch, and, as in our moun- 
tain exercise we never found any meal superfluous, we 
were ready to present ourselves at the table at once. 

On the 28th of July, W. arrived at the chalet, and, as 
A. had likewise appeared a few days previously, our party 
of five was now complete. 

One of the first points which we decided to occupy in 
our surveying work was a high peak above Lake Agnes, 
called Saint Piran. This mountain is very easy to as- 
cend and on several occasions we found ourselves on the 
summit for one purpose or another. The summit is far 
above tree line and, indeed, almost reaches the upper limit 
of any kind of plant growth. The rounded top is crowned 
with a great cairn, about ten feet high, which has been 
used as a surveying point some time in the past. 



The Canadian Rockies. 



Durino- the midsummer months this mountain summit 
is sparingly covered with bright flowers, all of an Alpine 
nature, dwarfed in size and with blossoms enormously 
out of proportion to the stems and leaves. There are 
several species of composites which rest their heads of 
yellow flowers almost on the ground, and a species of dwarf 
golden-rod about three inches high, with only two or 
three small heads on the summit of the stem ; but the 
most conspicuous is a kind of moss pink, which is in real- 
ity a mountain variety of phlox. This plant grows in 
spreading mats upon the ground, with small, rigid, awl- 
shaped leaves gathered in tufts along the stem, while here 
and there are small bright blossoms of a pink color. Mr. 
Fletcher, who has spent some time in this region investi- 
gating the flowers and insects, once found a plant of the 
pink family on this mountain, which proved by its little 
joints to be more than one hundred years old. 

One day I came up here alone, and on reaching the 
summit was surprised to find Mr. Bean, an entomologist, 
busily at work collecting butterflies. Mr. Bean has lived at 
Laggan for a number of years, and has made a most valu- 
able collection of the insects, especially the butterflies and 
beetles, of all this region. Remarkably enough, it is on just 
such spots as this lofty mountain summit, 8600 feet above 
tide, that the rarest and most beautiful butterflies assem- 
ble in great numbers, especially on bright, sunny days. 
Here they are invited by the gaudy Alpine flowers, which 
have devoted all their plant energy to large blossoms and 
brilliant colors, so as to attract the various insects to them. 



Alpine Butterflies. 73 



I was much interested in Mr. Bean's work, as he is the 
first pioneer in this field and has made many valuable dis- 
coveries. He showed me one butterfly of small size and 
quite dark coloring, almost black, which he said was a 
rare species, first discovered in polar regions by the Ross 
expedition, and never seen since till it was observed flit- 
ting about on this high peak, where arctic conditions pre- 
vail in midsummer. It is wonderful how the various 
species vary in color, form, and habit ; some of the but- 
terflies are very wild and shy, never allowing a near 
approach by the would-be collector ; others are compara- 
tively tame ; and while some fly slowly and in a straight 
course, other species dart along most rapidly, constantly 
changing direction in sharp turns, and completely baffle 
all attempts at pursuit. 

From the summit of this mountain we discovered a 
small lake in the valley to the west, and, as no one at the 
chalet had apparently ever visited the lake, or even known 
of its existence, we decided to make an excursion to this 
new region. Accordingly, a few days later, three of us 
started by the trail toward Lake Agnes, and after reach- 
ing a point about 600 feet above Lake Louise, we turned 
to the right and endeavored to make a traverse around 
the mountain till we should gain the entrance to the 
other valley. Our plan was not very good and the results 
were worse. For about two miles, the walking was along 
horizontal ledges of hard quartzite rock carpeted with 
grass and heaths, and occasionally made very difficult by 
the short dwarf spruces and larches which, with their tough 



'4 The Canadian Rockies. 



elastic branches, impeded our progress very much. The 
day was unusually warm, and we were glad to reach at 
length a small patch of snow, where we quenched our 
thirst by sprinkling the snow on large flat stones, the heat 
of which melted enough to give us a small amount of 
muddy water. The roughness of the mountain and the 
nature of the cliffs now compelled us to descend near 
a thousand feet, and thus lose all the benefit of our first 
ascent. We were constantly advancing westward, hoping 
to come at length upon some stream that must descend 
from the valley of the little lake. Every valley in these 
mountains must have some stream or rivulet to drain 
away the water resulting from the melting snows of winter 
and the rains of summer, and we were certain that, if we 
continued far enough, we would finally discover such a 
stream. After our descent we proceeded through a fine 
forest, densely luxuriant, and in some places much blocked 
by prostrate trees and giant trunks, mossy and half de- 
cayed. The air seemed unusually dry, and our thirst, 
which had been only in part appeased by our draught at 
the snow-bank, now returned in greater severity than 
ever. 

Suddenly we heard a distant sound of water, which, as 
we approached, grew still louder, till it burst into the full, 
loud roar of a beautiful mountain stream. The water was 
clear as crystal and icy cold, while nothing could exceed 
the graceful beauty of the many leaps and falls of the 
stream as it dashed over its rocky bed. Here we took 
lunch in a shady nook, seated on some rocky ledges at 



A Mountain Torrent. 



75 



ided 



all sides by deep 



the edge of the water, surroui 

cool forests. How wild this little spot was! 1 nougn 
the railroad was less than two miles distant, probably no 
white man had ever seen this pleasant retreat where we 
were resting. 
Had our ex- 
cursion end- 
ed here, we 
should have 
been repaid 
for all the toil, 
heat, and 
thirst we had 
endured, by 
this single ex- 
perience. 

Nor was 
our pleasure 
over, for the 

stream, we knew, would prove a certain guide to the little 
lake, and, with the anticipation of soon reaching some 
enchanting bit of scenery when we should arrive at this 
sheet of water, we pursued our way along the series of 
falls and cascades by which our new-found stream leapt 
merrily down the mountain slope. Such is the charm of 
mountain excursions in these unexplored and little known 
wilds, for here, nature is ever ready to please and surprise 
the explorer by some little lake or waterfall or a rare bit 
of mountain scenery. 




A COOL RETREAT IN THE FOREST. 



76 The Canadian Rockies. 



Though we had stopped for luncheon at a place where 
the dashing water made several cascades and falls of 
exquisite beauty, we found a constant succession of simi- 
lar spots, where I was often tempted to delay long enough 
to take photographs. As the stream thus descended 
rapidly, we found steep rock ledges, cut in giant steps and 
overgrown with thick moss till they were almost con- 
cealed from view, on either side of the mad torrent. These 
afforded us an easy method of ascent. The rocky forma- 
tion of the stream bed revealed many different kinds of 
stone, conglomerates, shales, and quartzites, in clearly 
marked strata all gently dipping toward the south. 

At length the woods opened up on either side, while, 
simultaneously, the slope decreased in pitch, and the stream 
ran over a bed of loose, rounded stones and boulders in 
the bottom of a shallow ravine. In a moment more we 
reached the lake, much more beautiful than our first view 
from St. Piran had led us to expect, but, also, much smaller 
in area. It was a mere pool, clear and deep, but intensely, 
blue in color and partially surrounded by a thin forest. 
Passing round the shores and up the valley, we found our- 
selves in some beautiful meadows, or rather moors, wherein 
streams of snow-water wandered in quiet, sinuous courses 
and gathered at length into the stream that feeds the lake. 
We came on a great number of ptarmigan — the high 
mountain species of grouse characteristic of this region, — 
which, with their young broods hardly able as yet to fly, 

were the most abundant signs of life that we found in this 
valley. 



The Saddle. 



77 



A vast amphitheatre or cirque, with lofty, bare walls 
nearly free of snow, formed the termination of the valley. 
We were not compelled, however, to return over the same 
route as we had come, for we found an easy pass with a 
long gentle slope of snow on our left. This led us over 
the divide and, by a long steep descent, brought us to 
Lake Agnes, where we took advantage of the trail down 
the mountain side to the chalet. 

Our attention was next turned toward the exploration 
of the mountains and valleys to the east of Lake Louise, 
which seemed to offer greater possibilities of grand scenery 
than those on the opposite side. Accordingly, we made 
several visits to a high upland park or alp, which was in 
reality a sort of depression between Great Mountain and 
a lesser peak to the east. This depression and the two 
mountains, one vastly higher than the other, resemble in 
outline, a saddle with pommel and crupper and suggested 
a name for the place which seems eminently appropriate. 
A trail now leads to the Saddle, and the place has proven 
so popular among tourists that it is frequently in use. 

The Saddle is a typical alp, or elevated mountain 
meadow, where long, rich grass waves in the summer 
breezes, beautified by mountain flowers, anemones, sky- 
blue forget-me-nots, and scarlet castilleias. Scattered 
larch trees make a very park of this place, while the 
great swelling slopes rise in graceful curves toward the 
mountain peaks on either side. 

But this is only the foreground to one of the most 
impressive views in the Rocky Mountains. To the east- 



78 The Canadian Rockies. 



ward about three miles, on the farther side of a deep val- 
ley, stands the great mass of Mount Temple, the highest 
peak near the line of travel in the Canadian Rockies. 
This mountain stands alone, separated from the surround- 
ing peaks of the continental watershed to which it does 
not belong. Itssummit is 1 1,658 feet above the sea-level, 
while the valleys on either side are but little more than 
6000 feet in altitude. As a result, the mountain rises 
over a mile above the surrounding valleys, a height which 
approaches the maximum reached in the Canadian 
Rockies. All sides of this mountain, except the south, 
are so precipitous that they offer not the slightest possible 
hope to the mountain climber, be he ever so skilful. The 
summit is crowned by a snow field or glacier of small size 
but of remarkable purity, since there are no higher cliffs to 
send down stones and debris to the glacier and destroy its 
beauty. On the west face, the glacier overhangs a preci- 
pice, and, by constantly crowding forward and breaking off, 
has formed a nearly vertical face of ice, which is in one 
place three hundred and twenty-five feet thick. I have 
seen passengers on the trains who were surprised to learn 
that the ice in this very place is anything more than a 
yard in depth, and who regarded with misplaced pity and 
contempt those who have any larger ideas on the subject. 
Avalanches from this hanging wall of ice are rather 
rare, as the length of the wall is not great and the glacier 
probably moves very slowly. I have never had the good 
fortune to witness one, though the thunders of these ice 
falls are often heard by the railroad men who live at Lag- 



Mount Temple front the Saddle. 



Mt. Temple. 79 



gan, just six miles distant. They must indeed be magnifi- 
cent spectacles, as the ice must needs fall more than 4000 
feet to reach the base of the cliff. The compactness of 
this single mountain may be well shown, by saying that a 
line eight miles long would be amply sufficient to encircle 
its base, notwithstanding the fact that its summit reaches 
so great an altitude. 

The strata are clearly marked and nearly horizontal, 
though with a slight upward dip on all sides, and especially 
toward the Bow valley, so that the general internal struc- 
ture of the mountain is somewhat bowl-shaped, a forma- 
tion very common in mountain architecture. 

The surroundings of this great mountain are equally 
grand. Far below in the deep valley, the forest-trees 
appear like blades of grass, and in the midst of them a 
bright, foamy band of water winds in crooked course like 
a narrow thread of silver, — in reality, a broad, deep stream. 
A small lake, nestling among the dark forests at the very 
base of Mount Temple, is the most beautiful feature in 
the whole view. The distance renders its water a dark 
ultra-marine color, and sometimes, when the light is just at 
the proper angle, the ripples sparkle on the dark surface 
like thousands of little diamonds. On the right, an awful 
precipice of a near mountain looms up in gloomy gran- 
deur, like the cliffs and bottomless abysses of the infernal 
regions pictured by Dore. This we called Mount Sheol. 

One may ascend from the Saddle to the summit of 
Great Mountain in an hour. Mr. A. and I ascended this 
mountain in 1893, before there was any trail to assist us, 



8o The Canadian Rockies. 



and we had a very hard time in forcing our way through 
the tough underbrush, while below tree line. 

In the course of a great many ascents of this peak I 
have had several interesting adventures. The view from 
the summit is so fine that I have made many attempts to 
obtain good photographs from this point. One day, after 
a period of nearly a week of smoky weather, the wind sud- 
denly shifted, and, at about ten o'clock in the morning, the 
atmosphere became so perfectly clear that the smallest 
details of the distant mountains were distinct and sharp, 
as though seen through a crystal medium. This was my 
chance, and I proceeded at once to take advantage of it. 
I had a large 8 x 10 camera and three plate-holders, which 
all went into a leather case especially made for the pur- 
pose, and which was fitted out with straps, so that it rested 
between my shoulders and left both hands free for climb- 
ing. It weighed altogether twenty-four pounds. With 
lunch in my pocket, I set out from the chalet with all 
speed, so as to arrive on the summit before the wind 
should change and bring back the smoke. 

I climbed as I had never climbed before, and though 
the day was hot I reached the Saddle in an hour, and, 
without a moment's pause, turned toward Great Moun- 
tain and commenced the long ascent of its rocky slope. 
In fifty-five minutes more I reached the summit and had 
ascended 3275 feet above Lake Louise. The air was 
still clear and offered every promise of successful photo- 
graphs, even as I was unstrapping my camera and prepar- 
ing to set it up for work. Suddenly, the wind shifted 



An Ascent in Vain, 



81 



once more to the south and brought back great banks of 
smoke, which came rolling over the snowy crest of Mount 
Lefroy like fog from the sea. In five minutes all was 
lost. Mount Temple appeared like a great, shadowy 
ghost, in the bluish haze, and the sun shone with a pale 
coppery light. Such are the trials and tribulations of the 
climber in the Canadian Rockies. 

One day at the end of August, H. and I ascended this 
mountain with our surveying instruments. The barom- 
eter had been steadily falling for several days, and already 
there were cumulus clouds driving up from the southwest 
in long furrows of lighter and darker vapors, which ob- 
scured the entire sky. A few drops of rain on the sum- 
mit compelled me to work rapidly, but, as yet, there was 
no warning of what was in store. 

After all the principal points were located we packed 
up our instruments and commenced a rapid descent to 
the Saddle. The slope is of scree and loose material, 
which permits a rapid descent at a full run, so that one 
may gain the Saddle in about fifteen minutes. Arriving 
there I paused to get a drink at a small stream under 
some great boulders, fed by a wasting snow-bank. H. 
had gone off toward the other side of the pass to get his 
rifle, which he had left on the way up. 

Suddenly I heard a rushing sound, and, looking up, 
saw a cloud of dust on the mountain side and the trees 
swaying violently in a strong wind. A mass of curling 
vapor formed rapidly against the cliffs of Great Moun- 
tain, and a dull moaning sound, as of violent wind, seemed 

6 



82 The Canadian Rockies. 



to fill the air. The sky rapidly darkened and black clouds 
formed overhead, while below them the thin wisps of scud 
rushed along and seemed white and pale by contrast. 

I was no sooner up on my feet than the approaching 
blast was upon me, and with such unexpected force did 
it come that I was laid low at the first impulse. My hat 
went sailing off into space and was never seen more. 
The first shock over, I gained my feet again and started 
to find H. The air changed in temperature with phe- 
nomenal rapidity, and from being warm and muggy, in 
the space of about five minutes it grew exceedingly cold, 
and threatened snow and hail. 

Though everything betokened an immediate storm 
and a probable drenching for us, I had time to notice a 
magnificent sight on Mount Temple. As yet there were 
no clouds on the summit, but, as I looked, my attention 
was called to a little fleck of vapor resting against the 
precipitous side of the mountain, half-way between sum- 
mit and base. So suddenly had it appeared that I could 
not tell whether it had grown before my eyes or was there 
before. From this small spot the vapors grew and ex- 
tended rapidly in both directions, till a long, flat cloud 
stretched out more than a mile, when I last saw it. The 
vapors seemed to form out of the very air where a 
moment before all had been perfectly clear. 

Realizing that the sooner we started the better chance 
we should have of escape, we flew rather than ran down 
the trail, and were only overtaken by the storm as we 
approached the lake. The temperature had dropped so 



A Sudden Storm. 



83 



rapidly that a cold rain and damp snow were falling when 
we reached the lake. The boat had drifted from its 
moorings, and was caught on a sunken log some distance 
from the shore. I waded out on a sunken log, where I 
expected at any moment to slip from the slimy surface 
and take an involuntary bath in the lake. The boat was 
regained by the time H. had arrived a few minutes later 
and we reached the chalet thoroughly drenched. 

Such sudden storms in the Canadian Rockies are rather 
rare, and are almost always indicated in advance by a 
falling barometer and lowering sky. I have never at any 
other time observed such a sudden fall in temperature, 
nor seen the clouds form instantaneously far down on the 
mountain side as they had done in this storm. The sud- 
den rush of wind, the curling vapors, and flying scud 
afforded a magnificent spectacle on the Saddle, and one 
that was well worth the drenching we suffered in penalty. 




CHAPTER VI. 




Paradise Valley — The Miire Glacier — Air Castles — Climbing to the 
Col — Dark Ice Caverns — Mountain Sickness — Grandeur of the Rock- 
Precipices 07t Mt. Lefroy — Summit of the Col at Last — A Glorious Vision 
of a New a?id Beautiful Valley — A Temple of Nature — Sudden Change 
of Weather — Te7?iptation to Explore the Nezv Valley — A Precipitate 
Descent — Sudden Transition from Arctic to Teniperate Co?iditio?is — De- 
lightful Surroundings — Weary Followers — Overtaken by Night — A 
Bivouac in the Forest — Fire in the Forest — Indian Sarcasm. 

HE valley to the east of Lake Louise and parallel 
to it, we named Paradise Valley, on account of 
the elegant park-like effect of the whole place 
and the beauty of the vegetation. Our first entrance 
into this region and the discovery of the valley were 
partially accidental. In fact, we were making an ex- 
pedition for the purpose of finding a practicable route 
up Hazel Peak, on the day when we were diverted from 
our original plan, and tempted to explore this hitherto 
unseen part of the mountains. 

It came about somewhat in this manner. On the 30th 
of July, all but F., who was still lame from his accident, 
left the chalet carrying rope and ice-axes, with the inten- 
tion of making explorations on the southern slopes of 

Hazel Peak. Our party, numbering four, left the chalet 

84 



The Mitre Glacier. 



85 



at a little after eight o'clock, with the intention of returning 
no later than five in the afternoon. Our equipment, be- 
side our Alpine implements, consisted of a camera, a pris- 
matic compass, and that which proved no less necessary, 
our lunches and a whiskey flask. 

Taking the boat, we rowed to the other end of the lake, 
and then followed the same route as our party of three 
had taken on the disastrous expedition of July 13th, till 
we came to the junction of the two glacier streams. Here 
we turned toward the east, and followed the moraine of 
the wide glacier between Mount Lefroy and Hazel Peak. 

The whole valley between was floored by a smooth, 
nearly level glacier, about a half mile wide and perhaps 
two miles long. Presently we were compelled to get on 
the ice as the moraine disappeared ; so we put on the 
rope, and advanced with more caution. It was not long, 
however, before W., who was next to last in our line, 
broke through the bridge of a crevasse, despite our care, 
and sank to his shoulders. This member of our party 
was not versed in the art of snow-craft, and to him, every 
occurrence common to mountain experiences, and Alpine 
methods of procedure, were alike novel and terrible. In 
consequence, this accident fell more severely on him, but 
fortunately, he was extricated almost immediately by the 
use of the rope. 

At the head of our valley was a remarkable, symmetrical 
mountain, resembling in general outline a bishop's mitre. 
From the glacier and snow-fields where we were walking, 
there rose on either side of the Mitre, steep snow-slopes, 



86 The Canadian Rockies. 



which terminated in lofty cols about 8500 feet above 
sea-level. That on the north side of the Mitre was ex- 
ceedingly steep, and was rendered inaccessible by reason of 
a great crevasse, extending from the precipices on either 
side, clear across the snow-slope. This crevasse must 
have been nearly twenty-five yards in width and of great 
depth. At one side there still remained a thin bridge of 
snow, suspended, as it were, in mid-air over the awful 
chasm, as though to tempt climbers on to their instant 
destruction, or perhaps to a lingering death from cold 
and hunger. 

The pass on our left appeared the more propitious and 
seemed to offer a possible route to the summit of the 
divide. We were anxious to get a view into the valley 
beyond, even though it were but for a few moments. The 
unknown regions on the other side of the pass had long 
been for me a favorite pleasure-ground of the imagination. 
Some fate had hitherto denied us any idea of the place 
beyond the vaguest suggestions. Several ascents, or par- 
tial ascents, of mountains on all sides of this unknown 
valley, had revealed the outlines of the surrounding moun- 
tains, but some intervening cliff or mountain range had 
always, with persistent and exasperating constancy, shut 
off all but the most unsatisfactory glimpses. Starting 
from these substantial foundations of reality, my imagina- 
tion had built up a wide circular valley, surrounded on all 
sides by curious mountains of indefinite and ever chang- 
ing outline and position. The picture always appeared 
in a gloomy, weird light, as though under a cloudy sky, 



Air Castles. 



87 



or while the sun was near totally eclipsed. By some 
curious analogy, this faint illumination was similar to that 
which we always associate with the first creation of land 
and water ; or far back in the geologic ages, when strange 
and hideous reptiles, — some flying in the murky air, some 
creeping amid the swampy growths of cycads, calamites, 
and gigantic tree ferns, — excite a strange thrill of pleasure 
and awe combined, as though the soul were dimly per- 
ceiving some new revelation of the universe, though but 
vaguely. In this weird, gloomy valley I wandered careless, 
in my imagination, many days and at many times, among 
forests infested by strange, wild animals, harmless like 
those of Eden, and by the shores of ever new, ever chang- 
ing lakes and rivers. 

So strong had this picture become that I felt the most 
intense anxiety to succeed in reaching the top of our pass, 
and gain at length a view of the reality, even at the risk 
of shattering these pleasant air castles, and annihilating, in 
a single instant, one of my best mental pleasure-grounds. 

There were many dangers to be risked, however, and 
many obstacles to be overcome before this advantage 
might be gained. The steep slope was rendered formi- 
dable by reason of many great schrunds, or horizontal 
crevasses, caused by the ice of the glacier below, moving 
downward. In the intense cold of winter the moving- ice 
becomes rigid and nearly stagnant, while the drifting 
snows accumulate, so as partly to fill these rents in the ice 
and bridge them over by cornices built out from one side 
or the other. When the increasing warmth of summer 



88 The Canadian Rockies. 



causes the ice to become plastic and to move more rapidly, 
these rents grow wider and the snow-bridges melt away 
and eventually fall into the crevasses so as to leave impas- 
sable chasms, dangerous to approach. Fortunately, it was 
not so late in the season that all the bridges were broken 
down, else we should have been completely defeated, for, 
on either side, the glacier was hemmed in by dangerous 
rock precipices. The south side of the glacier, moreover, 
was subject to frequent rock falls from the disintegrating 
cliffs of the Mitre. As we advanced over the extensive 
neve, the slope increased gradually but constantly, and 
soon became so steep that steps had to be cut, and great 
care was necessary not to slip. We crossed some of the 
schrunds by bridges of snow, where it was necessary to 
proceed with great caution, and, by sliding the feet along, 
apply the weight gently, lest the bridge should break 
through. We passed round others by walking along the 
lower edge or lip of the crevasse, which gave us a splendid 
but almost terrifying view of the gloomy caverns, extend- 
ing down through the snow and ice to unknown depths. 
The dark-blue roofs of these crevasses were hung with 
dripping icicles, while from far below could be heard the 
sound of rushing, sub-glacial streams. Three hours of 
this slow, toilsome work were necessary to gain iooo feet 
in altitude. We were now more than 8000 feet above the 
sea, and the atmosphere was raw and cold. Large damp 
flakes of snow and granular hail fell occasionally from a 
cloudy sky, silently and swiftly, through a quiet atmos- 
phere. The whole horizon was bounded by high moun- 



Desolate Surroundings. 



89 



tains, covered with glaciers and patches of snow, altogether 
barren and destitute of vegetation. Not a single tree or 
shrub, nor even a grassy slope at the far end of the great 
amphitheatre of mountain walls by which we were hemmed 
in, relieved the stern, cold monotony of the scene. So far 
as we might judge by our surroundings, we might have 
been exploring the lonely, desolate mountains of Spitz- 
bergen, or some distant polar land, where frost and winter 
rule perpetual. Our progress up the slope of the gla- 
cier was very slow, as each step had to be cut out with 
the ice-axe. The pitch was so steep that a misstep might 
have resulted in our all sliding down and making further 
exploration of the schrunds below. The whole party 
was, in consequence, more or less affected by these cheer- 
less circumstances, and became much depressed in spirit. 
As, however, the condition of the body is in great part 
responsible for all mental and moral ailments, so it was 
in our case. Had we been walking rapidly, so that the 
circulation of the blood had been vigorous and strong, 
both mind and body would have been in good condition, 
and the cold air, the snow, and bleak mountains would 
have been powerless to discourage. It is always at such 
times that mountain climbers begin to ask themselves 
whether the results are worth the efforts to attain them. 
Any one who has climbed at all, as we learn by reading 
the experiences of mountaineers, at many times has said 
to himself: "If I get home safely this time I shall never 
again venture from the comforts of civilization." The 
ancients, when in the thick of battle, or at the point of 



go The Canadian Rockies. 



shipwreck, were accustomed to vow temples to the gods 
should they be kind enough to save them, but they usu- 
ally forgot their oaths when safely home. Mountaineers 
in like manner forget their resolves, under the genial 
influence of rest and food, when they reach camp. 

After many disappointments, we at last saw the true 
summit of our pass or col not far distant, and only a few 
hundred feet above us. A more gentle slope of snow, 
free of crevasses, led to it from our position. 

Now that we were confident of success, we took this 
opportunity to rest by a ledge of rocks which appeared 
above the surrounding snow field. Here we regained 
confidence along with a momentary rest. 

Nothing could surpass the awful grandeur of Mount 
Lefroy opposite us. Its great cliffs were of solid rock, 
perpendicular and sheer for about 2500 feet, and then 
sloping back, at an angle of near fifty degrees, to heights 
which were shut off from our view by the great hanging 
glacier. We could just catch a glimpse of its dark pre- 
cipices, where the mountain wall continued into the 
unknown valley eastward, through a gorge or rent in 
the cliffs south of the Mitre. A magnificent avalanche 
fell from Mount Lefroy as we were resting from our 
severe exertion, and held our admiring attention for sev- 
eral moments. Another descended from the Mitre and 
consisted wholly of rocks, which made a sharp cannonade 
as they struck the glacier below, and showed us the danger 
to which we should have been exposed had we ascended 
on the farther side of the slope. 



Discovery of a Beautiful Valley. 91 



Having roped up once more, we proceeded rapidly 
toward the summit of the col, being urged on by a strong 
desire to see what wonders the view eastward might have 
in store. This is the most pleasurably exciting experi- 
ence in mountaineering — the approach to the summit of 
a pass. The conquest of a new mountain is likewise 
very interesting, but usually the scene unfolds gradually 
during the last few minutes of an ascent. On reaching 
the summit of a pass, however, a curtain is removed, as 
it were, at once, and a new region is unfolded whereby 
the extent of the view is doubled as by magic. 

We were, moreover, anxious to learn whether a de- 
scent into this valley would be possible, after we should 
arrive on the col We were alternately tormented by the 
fear of finding impassable precipices of rock, or glaciers 
rent by deep crevasses, and cheered on by the hope of an 
easy slope of snow or scree, whereby a safe descent would 
be offered. 

Proceeding cautiously, as we approached the very sum- 
mit, to avoid the danger of an overhanging cornice of snow, 
we had no sooner arrived on the highest part than we be- 
held a valley of surpassing beauty, wide and beautiful, with 
alternating open meadows and rich forests. Here and 
there were to be seen streams and brooks spread out be- 
fore our gaze, clearly as though on a map, and traceable 
to their sources, some from glaciers, others from springs 
or melting snow-drifts. In the open meadows, evidently 
luxuriantly clothed with grass and other small plants, 
though from our great height it was impossible to tell, the 



92 The Canadian Rockies. 



streams meandered about in sinuous channels, in some 
places forming a perfect network of watercourses. In 
other parts, the streams were temporarily concealed by 
heavy forests of dark coniferous trees, or more extensively, 
by light groves of larch. 

This beautiful valley, resembling a park by reason of its 
varied and pleasing landscape, was closely invested on the 
south by a half circle of rugged, high mountains rising pre- 
cipitously from a large glacier at their united bases. This 
wall of mountains, continuing almost uninterruptedly 
around, hemmed in the farther side of the valley and ter- 
minated, so far as we could see, in a mountain with twin 
summits of nearly equal height, about one mile apart. 
The limestone strata of this mountain were nearly per- 
fectly horizontal, and had been sculptured by rain and 
frost into an endless variety of minarets, spires, and pinna- 
cles. These, crowning the summits of ridges and slopes 
with ever changing angles, as though they represented 
alternating walls and roofs of some great cathedral, all 
contributed to give this mountain, with its elegant contours 
and outlines, the most artistically perfect assemblage of 
forms that nature can offer throughout the range of moun- 
tain architecture. 

On the north side of this mountain, as though, here, 
nature had striven to outdo herself, there rose from the 
middle slopes a number of graceful spires or pinnacles, 
perhaps 200 or 300 feet in height, slender and tapering, 
which, having escaped the irresistible force of moving 
glaciers and destructive earthquakes, through the duration 



Discovery of Paradise Valley. 



A Temple of Nature. 93 



of thousands of years, while the elements continued their 
slow but constant work of disintegration and dissolution, 
now presented these strange monuments of an ageless 
past. Compared with these needles, the obelisks and 
pyramids of Egypt, the palaces of Yucatan, or the 
temples of India are young, even in their antiquity. 
When those ancient peoples were building, nature had 
nearly completed her work here. 

Beyond the nearer range of mountains could be 
seen, through two depressions, a more distant range, 
remarkably steep and rugged, while one particularly 
high peak was adorned with extensive snow-fields and 
large glaciers. 

Almost simultaneously with our arrival on the summit 
of the pass, a great change took place in the weather. 
The wind veered about, and the clouds, which hitherto 
had formed a monotonous gray covering, now began to 
separate rapidly and dissolve away, allowing the blue sky 
to appear in many places. Long, light shafts of sunlight 
forced a passage through these rents, and, as the clouds 
moved along, trailed bright areas of illumination over the 
valley below, developing rich coloring and pleasing con- 
trasts of light and shade over a landscape ideally perfect. 

This beautiful scene, which has taken some time to de- 
scribe, even superficially, burst on our view so suddenly, 
that for a moment the air was rent with our exclamations 
and shouts, while those who had lately been most depressed 
in spirit were now most vehement in their expressions of 
pleasure. We spent a half-hour on the pass and divided 



04 The Canadian Rockies. 



up our work, so that while one took photographs of the 
scenery, another noted down the angles of prominent 
points for surveying purposes, while the rest constructed 
a higfh cairn of stones, to commemorate our ascent of the 
pass. 

Whatever may have been the mental processes by which 
the result was achieved, we found all unanimous in a de- 
cision to go down into the new valley and explore it, what- 
ever might result. The cold, desolate valley on which we 
now turned our backs, but which was the route home- 
wards, was less attractive than this unknown region of so 
many pleasant features, where even the weather seemed 
changed as we approached it. 

It was now already two-thirty p. m. We were 8400 
feet above sea-level and at an unknown distance from 
Lake Louise, should we attempt the new route. An- 
other great mountain range might have to be passed 
before we could arrive at the chalet, for aught we knew. 
There were, however, fully six hours left of daylight, 
and we hoped to reach the chalet before nightfall. 

A long snow-slope descended from where we were 
standing, far into the valley. This we prepared to descend 
by glissading, all roped together, on account of W., who 
was this day enjoying his first experience in mountain 
climbing. An unkind fate had selected him, earlier in the 
day, to break through the bridge of the crevasse and now 
doomed him to still further trouble, for we had no sooner 
got well under way in our descent, before his feet flew out 
from under him, and he started to slide at such a remark- 



A Precipitate Descent. 



95 



able rate that the man behind was jerked violently by the 
rope, and, falling headlong, lost his ice-axe at the same 
time. With consternation depicted in every feature, our 
two friends came rolling and sliding down, with ever in- 
creasing speed, spinning round — now one leading, now the 
other, sometimes head first, sometimes feet first. The 
shock of the oncomers was too much for the rest of us to 
withstand, and even with our ice-axes well set in the soft 
snow, we all slid some distance in a bunch. At length 
our axes had the desired effect and the procession came 
to a standstill. It required some time to unwind the tan- 
gled ropes wherein we were enmeshed like flies in a 
spider's web, owing to the complicated figures we had 
executed in our descent. Meanwhile, a committee of one 
was appointed to go back and pick up the scattered hats, 
ice-axes, and such other wreckage as could be found. 

The end of the descent was accomplished in a better 
manner, and in less than ten minutes we were 1500 
feet below the pass. A short, steep scramble down 
some rocky ledges, where strong alder bushes gave good 
support for lowering ourselves, brought us in a few min- 
utes to the valley bottom. At this level the air was warm 
and pleasant as we entered an open grove of larch and 
spruce trees. In the last quarter of an hour we had 
passed through all the gradations from an arctic climate, 
where the cold air, the great masses of perpetual snow, 
and bleak rocks, made a wintry picture, to the genial cli- 
mate of the temperate zone, where were fresh and beau- 
tiful meadows enlivened by bright flowers, gaudy insects. 



oo The Canadian Rockies. 



and the smaller mountain animals. Humboldt has truly 
said : "In the physical as in the moral world, the contrast 
of effects, the comparison of what is powerful and men- 
acing with what is soft and peaceful, is a never failing 
source of our pleasures and our emotions." 

We followed a small, clear stream of an unusual na- 
ture. In some places it glided quietly and swiftly over a 
sloping floor of solid stone, polished and grooved in some 
past age by glaciers. A little farther on, the character of 
the mountain stream suffered a change, and the water 
now found its way in many sharp, angular turns and nar- 
row courses by large square blocks of stone, for the most 
part covered by a thick carpet of moss, while between 
were deep pools and occasional miniature waterfalls. 

Pursuing our way with rapid steps, for we were like 
adventurers in some fairy-land of nature, where every 
moment reveals new wonders, we came at length to an 
opening in the forest, where the stream dashed over some 
rocky ledges, that frost and age had rent asunder and 
thrown down in wild disorder, till the stream bed was 
fairly strewn with giant masses of sandstone. Some of 
these colossal fragments were apparently just balanced on 
sharp edges, and seemed ever ready to fall from their in- 
secure positions. The variety and novelty of form pre- 
sented by the falling water, as the streamlets divided here 
and united there, some over, some under, the stone 
bridges accidentally formed in this confusion of nature, 
aroused our greatest admiration. 

As we advanced down the valley towards the north, 



Weary Followers. 



97 



the outlines of the mountains changed, and we recognized 
at length the bare slopes of the southern side of Mount 
Temple, which at first seemed to us a strange mountain. 
Meanwhile, we had approached very near to the base of 
the beautiful mountain with the double peak and the 
many pinnacles, and found that proximity did not render 
it less attractive. 

The stream which we followed had been joined by 
many other rivulets and springs till it grew to be wide 
and deep. At length a muddy torrent, direct from the 
glacier at the head of the valley, added new volume and 
polluted the crystal snow-waters of the stream which we 
had followed from its very source. 

For many hours we followed the banks of the small 
river formed by these two branches, and found it an al- 
most continuous succession of rapids, constantly descend- 
ing, and with a channel swinging to right and left, every 
few hundred yards, in a winding course. 

H. and I led the way, and frequently lost sight of the 
others who were beginning to tire and preferred a slower 
pace. We waited on several occasions for them to come 
up with us, though it seemed as if we should no more than 
reach the chalet before nightfall, even by putting forth 
our best efforts. 

About 6.30 o'clock we came to a swampy tract, where 
the trees grew sparingly, and gave the appearance of a 
meadow to an expanse of nearly level ground, covered 
with fine grass and sedges. Here, after a long wait for 
our friends, who had not been seen for some time, we 



98 The Canadian Rockies. 



decided to write a note on a piece of paper and attach it 
to a pole in a conspicuous place where they could not fail 
to see it. The mosquitoes were so numerous that it was 
almost impossible to remain quiet long enough to write a 
few words explaining our plans. On the top of the stick 
we placed a small splinter of wood in a slit, and made it 
point in the exact direction we intended to take. 

Having accomplished these duties in the best manner 
possible, we set out for the chalet with all speed, as we 
did not relish the idea of making a bivouac in the woods 
and spending a cheerless night after our long fast. It 
was evident that we were now at the outlet of the valley, 
and that, unless we should encounter very rough country 
with much fallen timber, our chances were good for reach- 
ing the chalet before darkness rendered travelling impos- 
sible. It was likewise important to reach the lake on 
account of those at the chalet, who might think that the 
whole party had met with some accident on the mountain, 
unless some of us turned up that night. 

We accordingly walked as fast as our waning strength 
permitted, and after surmounting a ridge about 800 feet 
high, which formed part of the lower slopes of Saddle 
Mountain, we found no great difficulty in forcing a pas- 
sage through the forest for several miles, when we came 
upon the trail to the Saddle. We reached the* lake at 8. 15 
p.m., and after shouting in vain for some one to send over 
a boat, we forded the stream and entered the chalet, where 
a sumptuous repast was ordered forthwith, and to which 
we did ample justice after our walk of twelve hours duration. 



A Bivouac in the Forest. 99 



Our less fortunate friends did not appear till the next 
morning. They discovered our note, but decided not to 
take our route, as they thought it safer to follow the stream 
till it joined the Bow River. They had not proceeded 
far, however, beyond the place where we had left the note, 
before they became entangled in a large area of fallen 
timber and prostrate trees, where they were overtaken 
by night and compelled to give up all hope of reaching 
Lake Louise till the next day. In the dark forest they 
made a small fire, and were at first tormented by mos- 
quitoes and, later, by the chill of advancing night, so that 
sleep was impossible. The extreme weariness of ex- 
hausted nature, crowned by hunger and sleeplessness amid 
clouds of voracious mosquitoes, was only offset by the 
contents of a flask, with which they endeavored to revive 
their* drooping spirits, and cherish the feeble spark of life 
till dawn. 

Fortunately, the nights in this latitude are short, and 
at four o'clock they continued their way to the Bow 
River, which they followed till they reached Laggan. 

About six days later, a little column of smoke was ob- 
served rising from the forests towards the east, and from 
Laggan we learned that the woods were on fire, and that 
about forty acres of land were already in a blaze. A 
large gang of section men were despatched at once with 
water buckets and axes to fight the fire. The fire did not 
prove so extensive, however, as at first reported, and in 
about two days all the men were recalled. 

William said to one of us : " Me think two white man 



IOO 



The Canadian Rockies. 



light him fire" ; to which our friends replied that it was 
impossible, as the fire had broken out nearly a week after 
they had been there. 

William replied, with the only trace of sarcasm I have 
ever known him to use : " White man no light fire, oh 
no, me think sun light him." 




CHAPTER VII. 

The Wild Character of Paradise Valley — Difficulties with Pack 
Horses — A Remarkable Accident — Our Camp and Surroundings — Animal 
Friends — Midsummer Flowers — Desolation Valley — Ascent of Hazel Peak 
— An Alpine Lake in a Basin of Ice — First Attempt to Scale Mt. Temple — 
Our Camp by a Small Lake — A Wild and Stormy Night — An Impassable 
Barrier — A Scene of Utter Desolation — All Nature Sleeps — Difficulties 
of Ascent — The Highest Point yet Reached in Canada — Paradise Valley in 
Winter — Farewell to Lake Louise. 

OUR delightful experience in Paradise Valley con- 
vinced us that a camp should be established in 
it near the southern base of Mount Temple, 
which we hoped to ascend. From this camp we in- 
tended to make branch excursions in all directions and 
learn something of the mountains toward the east and 
south. All this region, though so near the railroad, 
had apparently never been explored by the surveyors, 
and the early expeditions had of course never approached 
this region nearer than the Vermilion Pass on the east 
and the Kicking Horse Pass on the west. In all our 
expeditions through these lonely but grand mountain 
valleys, we never discovered any mark of axe or knife 
on the trees, any charred pieces of wood to indicate a 
camper's fire, nor any cairn or pile of stones to prove 
some climber's conquest. 

IOI 



io2 The Canadian Rockies. 



In fact, the impenetrable barrier of mountains at every 
valley end dissolved the surveyor's hopes, even from a 
distance, of finding any practicable pass through the maze 
of lofty mountains and intervening valleys blocked with 
glaciers and vast heaps of moraine. The lone prospector 
would not be tempted by any sign of gold in the streams 
to explore these valleys, though the Indian hunter may 
have occasionally visited these regions in search of bears 
or the mountain goat. 

We first blazed a trail from the chalet to the entrance 
of Paradise Valley. The route followed was merely the 
best and most open pathway that we could find through 
the forests, and though not more than three miles in 
length, it required as many hours to reach the valley 
entrance. Pack horses we obtained at the chalet, but no 
man could be found who would consent to act as our cook 
or assistant in managing the horses. 

Our camp was at length established by the side of a 
small rivulet on the lower slopes of Mount Temple, where 
we found the altitude to be 6900 feet above sea-level. Our 
experiences with pack animals were of a most exciting 
nature and sometimes severely trying to our temper and 
patience. The horses were not accustomed to this ser- 
vice and performed all sorts of antics, smashing the packs 
among the trees, jumping high in air to clear a small 
stream six inches wide, or plunging regardless into 
rivers where, for a moment, the horse and packs would be 
submerged in the water. There was one place about two 
miles within the valley entrance that might well try the 



Difficulties with Pack Horses. 103 



patience of Job himself. On one side of the stream, 
was an impassable area covered with tree trunks criss- 
crossed and piled two or three deep by some snow-slide 
of former years. On the other side of the stream, 
which we were compelled to take, was a dense forest. 
Below was a tangled growth of bush, and many fallen 
trees, all resting on a foundation of large loose stones 
covered six inches deep with green moss. Between these 
stones were deep holes and occasional underground streams, 
the water of which could be faintly heard below and which 
had probably washed away the soil and left these angular 
stones unprotected. To lead a horse through this place 
required the greatest skill, patience, and even daring. 
Without some one to lead the animal with a rope, the 
poor beast would stand motionless, but to pick one's way 
over the rough ground while leading the horse invariably 
ended in disaster. The very first hole was enough to 
frighten the horse, so that, instead of proceeding more 
slowly, the animal usually made a mad rush forward regard- 
less of the leader, who invariably fled and sought the pro- 
tection of a tree, while the horse soon fell prostrate among 
the maze of obstacles. In these frantic rushes many of 
us were several times trampled on by the horse, and the 
packs were smashed against the branches and trunks of 
trees, or torn off altogether. This was an exceedingly 
dangerous bit of ground, and it was remarkable that on so 
many occasions we were able to lead our horses through 
it without a broken leg. 

One of our most remarkable adventures with a horse 



i cm. The Canadian Rockies. 



may indeed test the credence of the reader, but five men 
can vouch for its actual occurrence. We were passing 
alono- through the forest in our usual manner, which was 
the outgrowth of much experience. First of all, one man 
preceded and did nothing else but find the blaze marks 
and keep on the ill-defined trail as well as possible. 
About twenty-five yards behind came another man whose 
duty it was to find the pathfinder, and if possible, improve 
on his trail. Then came one of our party who led the 
horse with a long head rope, while behind the horse were 
two men whose duty it was to pick up whatever articles 
fell out of the packs from time to time, and fasten them 



on aorain. 



As we were proceeding in this manner, we came to 
a slanting tree which leaned over the trail at an angle of 
about thirty degrees. It was just small enough to be 
limber, and just large enough to be strong. Moreover, it 
was too low for the horse to go under, and a little too 
high for him to jump over. One might travel a lifetime 
and never meet with just such another tree as this. In 
less than ten seconds this tree had brought the horse and 
two of our party to the ground and wrought consterna- 
tion in our ranks. 

As the horse approached the slanting tree, F., who 
was leading, saw the animal rear high in the air to prepare 
for a jump. He thought it best to get out of the way, 
but in his haste stumbled and fell headlong into a bush. 
Meanwhile the horse, a stupid old beast, prepared for the 
effort of his life, and with a tremendous spring jumped 



A Remarkable Accident. 105 



high in air, but unfortunately his fore-feet caught on the 
small tree, which swung forward a little and then returning 
like a powerful spring, turned the animal over in mid-air. 
The horse landed on his back some five yards farther on, 
and, with his four legs straight up in the air, remained 
motionless as death. But this was not all, for the tree 
swung back violently and struck H. on the nose, fortu- 
nately at the end of the swing, but with sufficient force to 
knock him down. 

When our two friends recovered, we turned our atten- 
tion to the horse, which still remained motionless on his 
back. " He is dead," said F., but, on rolling him over, 
the poor animal got up and seemed none the worse for 
his experience, except for a more than usual stupidity. 

We camped about ten days in Paradise Valley in a 
beautiful spot near the end. Here, on all sides except 
towards the north, the place is hemmed in by lofty moun- 
tains. We saw the valley in all sorts of weather, in clear 
sunshiny days, and when the clouds hung low and shut 
out the mountains from view. On one or two occasions 
the ground was white with snow for a short time, though 
our visit was during the first part of August. 

Many kinds of animals frequented the valley, and some 
of the smaller creatures lived in the rocks on all sides of 
our camp and became quite friendly. One of the most 
interesting little animals of the Canadian Rockies is the 
little pica, or tailless hare. This small animal abounded 
in the vicinity of our camp and is in fact always found at 
about 7000 feet altitude. It is a hare about the size of 



io6 The Canadian Rockies. 



a rat, which, with its round ears, it more resembles. These 
little fellows have a dismal squeak, and they are very 
impertinent in their manner of sitting up among the rocks 
at the entrance to their holes, and gazing at their human 
visitors, ever ready to pop out of sight at a sign of danger. 
Chipmunks were likewise abundant and visited our camp 
to pick up scattered crumbs from our table. 

There is a species of rat with a bushy tail that lives 
in the forests and rocky places of these mountains and 
is the most arrant thief among all the rodents. Nothing 
is too large for them to try and carry off, and they will 
make away with the camper's compass, aneroid, or watch, 
and hide them in some inaccessible hole, apparently with 
the desire to set up a collection of curios. 

The siffleur, or marmot, is the largest among these 
rodents, and reaches the length of twenty-five or thirty 
inches. These animals usually frequent high altitudes 
at, or above the tree line, where they build large nests 
among the rocks and lay up a store of provisions for win- 
ter time. They are very fat in the fall, but it is not known 
whether they hibernate or not. Their note is a very loud 
shrill whistle, which they make at a distance, but they never 
allow one to approach very near, like the impudent picas. 

We saw very few of the mountain goats, though we 
often came upon their fresh tracks in the mud near streams 
or in the snow far up on the mountain sides. On several 
occasions we could hear the patter and rattle of stones 
sent down by the movements of some herd, though our 
eyes failed to detect them. 



Midsummer Flowers. 107 



Where the forests grew thick in the valley, the herbs 
and flowering plants were always less numerous, but in the 
meadows the ground was colored by mountain flowers of 
beautiful shades and pretty forms. The tasselled heads of 
the large anemones, long since gone to seed, were conspic- 
uous everywhere, and they are always a beautiful object 
among the meadow grass as the summer breezes make 
gentle waves over these seas of verdure. Along the bare 
rocky margins of the streams, where all else has been 
forced to retire by occasional floods, two species of plants 
make a most brilliant coloring and dazzle the eye with 
discordant shades. They are the castilleias, or painter's 
brush, with bright scarlet and green leaves clustered at 
the top of a leafy stem, and the epilobiums, with reddish- 
purple blossoms ; these two plants were often so close 
together with their inharmonious color tones as to perplex 
the observer in regard to nature's meaning. When nature 
does such things we grow to like her apparent mistakes, 
just as we love the bitter-sweet chords of Schumann, or 
Grieg's harsh harmonies. • 

We made several excursions into the next valley to the 
eastward, and beyond that, over the water-shed into British 
Columbia. The valley to the east offered the greatest 
contrast to Paradise Valley. It was somewhat wider, the 
altitude was in general higher, so that a great part was 
above the tree line, while the awful wildness and con- 
fusion created by vast heaps of moraine and a large 
glacier at the foot of a range of saw-edged mountains 
made this place seem like a vale of desolation and death. 



10S The Canadian Rockies. 



At the close of our camping experiences, we effected the 
conquest of two mountains, Hazel Peak and Mount Tem- 
ple, on two successive days. We first tried Hazel Peak, 
and by following the route which had been previously se- 
lected, we found the ascent remarkably easy. On the 
summit, the climber is 10,370 feet above sea-level, — higher 
than the more celebrated Mount Stephen, often claimed 
to be the highest along the railroad, — and surrounded by 
more high peaks than can be found at any other known 
part of the Canadian Rockies, south of Alaska. ' In fact 
there are seven or eight peaks within a radius of six miles 
that are over 11,000 feet high. 

The view is, at the same time, grand and inspiring, and 
has certain attractions that high mountain views rarely 
present. The rock precipice and snow-crowned crest of 
Mount Lefroy are separated from the summit of Hazel 
Peak by one of the grandest and deepest canyons of the 
Canadian Rockies, so that the distance from summit to 
summit is only one mile and a half. The ascent of Hazel 
Peak is certainly well worth the labor of the climb, as the 
round trip may be easily accomplished from Paradise Val- 
ley in five hours, though the ascent is nearly 4000 feet. 

On the north side, from the very summit, a fine glacier 
sweeps down in steep pitch far into the valley below and 
with its pure white snow and yawning blue crevasses 
of unfathomable depth, forms one of the most attractive 
features of this mountain. The most remarkable and 
beautiful object that we discovered, however, was a small 
lake or pool of water only a few yards below the summit 



Camp in Paradise Valley. 



First Attempt on Mt. Temple. 109 



of the mountain. Encircled on all sides by the pure snows 
of these lofty altitudes, and embedded, as it were, in a blue 
crystal basin of glacier ice, the water of this little lake was 
colored deep as indigo, while over the surface a film of ice. 
formed during the previous night, had not yet melted 
away. 

We returned to camp much elated with our success but 
doubtful of the morrow, as no easy route had yet been dis- 
covered up the forbidding slopes of Mount Temple. The 
year before, Mr. A. and I had been hopelessly defeated 
even when we had counted most on success. Moreover, 
the mere fact that, though this mountain was the highest 
yet discovered anywhere near the railroad, it had never 
been ascended by any surveyor or climber, made success 
appear less probable, though it urged us on to a keener 
ambition. 

The attempt by A. and myself to ascend this mountain 
in 1893 was probably the first ever made. During the 
first week of August, we started from Laggan, having 
with us a Stoney Indian, named Enoch Wildman, and one 
horse to carry our tent and provisions. The day was un- 
usually hot, and, as we forced our monotonous and tiresome 
passage through the scanty forests of pine near the Bow 
River, we suffered very much from heat and thirst. In 
these mountain excursions, it is the best policy to wear 
very heavy clothes, even at the disadvantage of being un- 
comfortable during the day, for the nights are invariably 
cold, even at low altitudes. We did not camp until night- 
fall, when we found ourselves on the northern slope of 



no The Canadian Rockies. 



the mountain, 7000 feet above sea-level, by the side 
of a small lake. The little lake occupied a depression 
among o-iant boulders and the debris of the mountain. 
At one end, a large bank of snow extended into and below 
the water, which was apparently rising, as there were frag- 
ments of frozen snow floating about in the lake. The 
banks sloped steeply into the water on all sides, and there 
was not a single level spot for our camp, so that it was 
necessary to build a wall of stones, near the water's edge, 
for our feet, and to prevent ourselves from sliding into the 
lake during the night. 

The weather was wild and stormy, and the long night 
seemed to drag out its weary length to an interminable ex- 
tent of time, attended as it was by showers of rain and 
hail and furious gusts of wind, which threatened to bring 
our flapping tent to the ground at any moment. 

Our camp-fire, which had been built on a scale appropri- 
ate to some larger race of men, was a huge pile of logs, 
each fully ten feet long, and twelve or eighteen inches 
through, but the wind blew so strong that the mass roared 
like a vast forge during the early hours, and then died 
away into an inert mass of cinders toward the chill of 
morning. 

The light of day revealed our wild surroundings. We 
were under the northern precipice of Mount Temple, and 
so close that we could see only the lower part of this in- 
accessible wall. A beautiful fall dashed down in a series 
of cascades through a distance of about 1000 feet, 
and fed our little lake. Sometimes the strong wind, blow- 



An Impassable Barrier. 



in 



ing against the cliff, or sweeping upward, would make the 
water pause and momentarily hang in mid-air, suspended, 
as it were, on an invisible airy cushion, till gathering 
greater volume, it would burst through the barrier and 
fall in a curtain of sparkling drops. 

Poor Enoch had suffered terribly from cold during the 
night, and begged our permission to return to Laggan, 
promising to come back the next day — " sun so high," 
pointing to its place in the early afternoon. He said in 
his broken English : " No grass for pony here, too cold me ; 
no like it me." So we took pity on him and sent him back 
to more comfortable quarters while we rested in compara- 
tive quiet, it being Sunday. 

Early Monday morning we had our breakfast and were 
on foot at four o'clock. The gloom of early dawn, the 
chill of morning, and the cloudy sky had no cheering effect 
on our anticipations. Our plan was to traverse the moun- 
tain side till we should come to the southeast shoulder, 
where we had once observed an outline of apparently 
easy slope. 

By eleven o'clock we had reached an altitude of nearly 
10,000 feet without meeting with any very great 
difficulty, but here we came suddenly to a vertical wall 
of rock about 400 feet high and actually leaning 
over in many places, a barrier that completely defeated 
us, as the wall extended beyond our view and offered no 
prospect of giving out. At the base of this cliff was a 
steep, narrow slope of loose, broken limestone, and then 
another precipice below. Along this dangerous pathway 



ii2 The Canadian Rockies. 



we continued for some distance, keeping" close to the base 
of the cliff. The loose stones, set in motion by our feet, 
slid down and rolled over the precipice, where we could 
hear them grinding to powder on the cliffs below. 

Never in my life have I been so much impressed with 
the stern and desolate side of nature. The air was bitter 
cold and had the frosty ozone odor of winter. A strong 
wind rushed constantly by us, and, as it swept up the 
gorges of the precipice above, and over the countless pro- 
jections of the cliffs, made a noise like the hoarse murmur of 
wind in a ship's rigging, or the blast of some great furnace. 
To the south and east, range beyond range of bare, saw- 
edged mountains raised their cold, sharp summits up to a 
cloudy sky, where the strong wind drove threatening 
clouds in long trains of dark and lighter vapors. The in- 
tervening valleys, destitute of vegetation or any green 
thing, were filled with glaciers and vast heaps of moraine, 
and the slides of debris from the adjacent mountain side. 
All was desolate, gloomy, cold, and monotonous in color. 
Three thousand feet below, a small lake was still bound 
fast in the iron jaws of winter, surrounded as it was by 
the walls of mountains which shut out the light and 
warmth of the summer sun. Inert, inanimate nature here 
held perpetual rule in an everlasting winter, where sum- 
mer, with its flowers and birds and pleasant fertility, is 
unknown, and man rarely ventures. 

Overcome with the terrors of this lonely place and the 
hopelessness of further attempt to reach the summit, 
where a snow-storm was now raging, we turned back. As 



All Nature Sleeps. 113 



we reached our camp we found Enoch just approaching, 
according to his promise, and though the afternoon was 
well advanced, we packed up and moved with all speed 
toward Laggan. We reached Lake Louise at 10.30 p.m., 
after almost nineteen hours of constant walking. 

Now, however, at our camp in Paradise Valley, the 
conditions were somewhat different. We were at the 
very base of the mountain, and had learned much more 
about it, in the year that had elapsed since our first 
attempt. 

The mountaineer has many discomforts mingled with 
the keen enjoyment of his rare experiences. None is 
more trying than the early hour at which he is compelled 
to rise from his couch of balsam boughs and set forth 
on his morning toil. At the chill hour before dawn, when 
all nature stagnates and animate creation is plunged 
in deepest sleep, the mountain climber must needs arouse 
himself from heavy slumber and, unwilling, compel his 
sluggish body into action. 

This is the deadest hour of the twenty-four — the time 
just before dawn. The breezes of early night have died 
away into a cold and frosty calm ; the thermometer sinks 
to its lowest point, and even the barometer, as though in 
sympathy, reaches one of its diurnal minima at this un- 
timely hour. And if inanimate nature is thus greatly 
affected, much more are the creations of the vegetable 
and animal kingdoms. The plants are suffering from the 
cold and frost ; the animals of daytime have not as yet 
aroused themselves from sleep, while the nocturnal prowl- 



ii4 The Canadian Rockies. 



ers have already ceased their quest of prey and returned 
to their dens. Even man is affected, for at this dead hour 
the ebb and pulse of life beat slow and feeble, and the lin- 
gering spark of life in those wasted by disease comes at 
this time most near going out. 

At such an unseasonable hour, or more accurately at 
four a.m., were we up, on the 17th of August pre- 
paring for our ascent of Mount Temple. There was no 
trace of dawn, and the waning moon, now in her last quar- 
ter, was riding low in the southern sky, just, above the 
sharp triangular peak at the end of our valley. 

At nine o'clock in the morning, we had gained the 
summit of the pass between Mount Temple and Pinnacle 
Mountain, where we were 9000 feet above sea-level. 
The ascent so far had not been of an encouraging nature, 
as we had encountered a long, loose slide where every- 
thing moved threateningly at each step. I have never 
seen a more unstable slope. The stones and boulders 
would slide, and begin to move at a distance of ten and 
fifteen feet above the place where we stood, and on every 
side also. F., who was one of the party, was terror- 
stricken, for he now had a horror of moving stones of 
any description. 

The view from this pass was very extraordinary. To 
the east stood the rugged, saw-edged mountains of the 
Desolation Range, looming up in solemn grandeur through 
an atmosphere bluish and hazy with the smoke of forest 
fires. The air was perfectly calm and had the bracing 
coolness of early morning and high altitude, which the 



Highest Point Reached in Canada. 



115 



rising sun tempered most gently. The weather condi- 
tions for accomplishing our ascent were perfect, but there 
was little prospect of a fine view by reason of the smoke. 
The outlook from the pass was indeed discouraging. 
Cliffs and ledges with broken stones and loose debris 
seemed to oppose all safe passage. Fortunately, as we pro- 
gressed the difficulties vanished, and not till we reached an 
altitude of about 10,000 feet did we encounter any real ob- 
stacles. We found a passage through the great rock wall 
which had defeated us last year, by the aid of a little gully, 
which, however, entailed some rather difficult climbing. 
This arduous 
work continued 

throughout the 
next 1000 feet, 

when, at an alti- 
tude of 11,000 
feet, we came to 
the great slope 
between the 
southwest and 
west aretes and 
found an easy 
passage to the 
summit. 

Many a hearty cheer rent the thin air as our little 
party of three reached the summit, for we were standing 
where no man had ever stood before, and, if I mistake 
not, at the highest altitude yet reached in North America 




SUMMIT OF MOUNT TEMPLE. 



1 1 6 The Canadian Rockies. 



north of the United States boundary. The summit was 
formed of hard bluish limestones, broken and piled up in 
blocks, as on all high mountain tops. The cliffs toward 
the east were stupendous and led the eye down to the 
valley more than a mile below. The air was almost calm 
and just above freezing, and the snow was melting quite 
fast in the sun. The thermometer at the Lake Louise 
chalet reached seventy-two degrees at the same time that 
we were on the summit of Mount Temple, which proves 
this to be almost the highest temperature that ever occurs 
on this lofty point. It would be safe to say that the tem- 
perature on the top of Mount Temple never rises higher 
than forty degrees. 

If one is fortunate in a good selection of routes, the 
ascent of Mount Temple will not be found difficult. But 
the descent is very perplexing, for unless one remem- 
bers the intricate combination of gullies and ledges by 
which the ascent is made, many precipitous cliffs will be 
encountered down which it is impossible to descend. 

This was our last exploit in Paradise Valley, and a 
few days later the various members of our party, one by 
one, bade farewell to the beautiful region of Lake Louise 
with its many pleasant associations. 

I remained there five or six weeks longer until winter 
commenced in earnest and drove every one away. During 
the first week of October I made a final visit to Paradise 
Valley with Mr. Astley, the manager of the chalet, in order 
to bring back our tent and the camping utensils. Snow 
covered the ground in the shady parts of the woods, even 



Paradise Valley in Winter. 117 



at the entrance of the valley. The stream had fallen so 
much that its rocky bed proved the best route up the 
valley, especially for the horse. After an hour's journey 
within the entrance we found ourselves at the base of 
Mount Sheol, and not far above us could be seen a fine 
herd of seven or eight mountain goats. They scampered 
off on seeing us, but soon came to halt as they were 
tempted by curiosity to have another look. These snow- 
white goats are the most characteristic animals of the 
Rockies and nearly correspond in habits with the more 
cunning chamois of Switzerland. Like them it is a species 
of antelope, though it resembles a goat to a remarkable 
degree. 

We found our camp buried in snow, the ridge-pole of 
the tent broken down with the heavy burden, and every- 
thing so much disguised by the wintry mantle that we 
had difficulty in finding the camping place. Even as we 
were packing up the frozen canvas and blankets, the air 
was full of falling snow and the mountains encircling the 
valley were only revealed in vague and indefinite outlines, 
while ever and anon could be heard the dull roar of snow- 
slides sweeping down to the glacier. 

About nightfall we were back at the entrance to the 
valley, where the lower altitude gave us the advantage 
of a ground nearly free of snow, though a fine rain sifted 
down through the spruce needles almost constantly. 

Here we camped in the dense forest, and our roaring 
fire, built high with great logs, soon drove away the chill 
and dampness of the rainy night. The tent, our clothes, 



n8 The Canadian Rockies. 



and the mossy ground were soon steaming, and the bright 
glare of our camp-fire illumined the trees and gave us 
good cheer, surrounded as we were by miles of trackless 
forests in the blackness of night. A hearty supper and 
a great pail of strong hot tea soon revived our spirits, 
and on a soft couch of heaths and balsam boughs — more 
luxurious than any bed of down — we bid defiance to the 
darkness and storm in perfect comfort. The next day 
the snow-flakes were falling gently and steadily, so that the 
trees were covered even to their branchlets and needles 
with the white mantle. The bushes, the mosses, and even 
the blades of grass in the swampy marshes, as we pursued 
our homeward way, were all concealed and transformed 
into pure white images of themselves in snow. 

A few days later I went up to Lake Agnes to hunt 
for mountain goats, which frequent this place in great 
numbers. The snow was two feet deep. The lake was 
already nearly covered with ice, and I was compelled to 
seek shelter behind a cliff against a bitterly cold wind, 
driving icy particles of hail and snow against my face. 

It was useless to prolong the contest longer. Winter 
had resumed her iron sway in these boreal regions and 
high altitudes, and in a few weeks Lake Louise too would 
begin to freeze, and no longer present its endless change 
of ripple and calm, light and shadow, or the reflected 
images of rocks and trees and distant mountains. 



CHAPTER VIII. 

The Selkirks — Geographical Position of the Ra?ige — Good Cheer of 
the Glacier House — Charming Situation — Coniparison betwee?i the Selkirks 
and Rockies — Early Mountain Ascents — Density of the Forest — Ascent of 
Eagle Peak — A Magnificent Panorama — A Descent in the Darkness — 
Account of a Terrible Experience on Eagle Peak — Trails through the 
Forest — Future Popularity of the Selkirks — The Forest Primeval — An 
Epitome of Human Life — Age of Trees — Forests Dependent on Humidity. 

WEST of that chain of the Rocky Mountains 
which forms the crest or backbone of the 
continent, lies another system of mountains 
called the Selkirk Range. Having many features in com- 
mon with the mountains to the east, this range has, never- 
theless, certain constant characteristics of vegetation and 
geological formation, so that the traveller who is but 
slightly familiar with them should never be at a loss in 
regard to his surroundings. 

The position of this range in relation to the other 
mountains of the great Cordilleran System is not difficult 
to understand. The Selkirks may be said to begin in north- 
western Montana between the Summit Range and the Bitter 
Root Mountains, and, trending in a northwestward direc- 
tion through British Columbia about three hundred miles, 
they approach the main range and apparently merge into 



1 20 



The Canadian Rockies. 



it near the Athabasca Pass. The most remarkable feat- 
ure of the range is the manner in which it compels the great 
Columbia River to run northward for fifty leagues on its 
eastern side, before it allows a passage to the west, so that 
the northern portions of the range are entirely hemmed 
in by this large river, flowing in opposite directions on 
either side. Another feature of great interest in regard 
to the drainage is the relation between the Columbia and 
Kootanie rivers. The latter river is one of the chief tribu- 
taries to the upper Columbia, and flows southward to a 
point one mile and a half from the head waters of the 
Columbia, which it passes on its journey southward, while 
the Columbia flows in the opposite direction. The water 

of the Koota- 
nie is actually 
higher than 
that of the 
Columbia a t 
this point, and 
as the two riv- 




ers are only 
separated by a 
low, level 
plain, it was 
once proposed 
to cut a chan- 

GLACER HOUSE. ^J between> 

and divert the Kootanie into the Columbia. 

The traveller is always glad to find himself at the 



The Glacier House. 121 



Glacier House in the heart of the Selkirks. This is 
more especially true, if in previous years, he has visited 
this charming spot and become in some degree familiar 
with the place. The railroad makes a large loop round 
a narrow valley and sweeps apparently close to the 
great glacier of the Selkirks, a vast sea of ice that glist- 
ens in a silvery white sheen and appears to rise above 
the forests as one looks southward. There is something 
pre-eminently comfortable and homelike about the Glacier 
House. The effect is indefinable, and one hardly knows 
whether the general style of an English inn, or the genu- 
ine hospitality that one receives, is the chief cause. One 
always feels at home in this wild little spot, and scarcely 
realizes that civilization is so far distant. 

The rush of summer guests called for the erection of 
an annex, so that there are now two hotels for the accom- 
modation of tourists. The Glacier House is located near 
the railroad, and occupies a small, nearly level, place at the 
bottom of one of those deep and narrow valleys character- 
istic of the Selkirks. Those who have visited the Fran- 
conia Notch in the White Mountains would be somewhat 
reminded of that beautiful spot upon first seeing the 
surroundings of Glacier. The ground in front of the 
hotel has been levelled and is rendered beautiful by a 
thick carpet of turf. In summer it is fragrant and almost 
snowy in appearance from the multitude of white clover 
blossoms. This garden spot in the wilderness is still fur- 
ther adorned by fountains, which break the continuity of 
the greensward, and are fed by cascades that may be seen 



\22 The Canadian Rockies. 



descending- the opposite mountain side in many a leap, 
through a total distance of 1800 feet. 

But this small area, that man has improved and ren- 
dered more suitable to his comfort, is surrounded on all 
sides by a wilderness, perhaps better described as a little 
explored range of mountains separated by deep gorges 
and covered with dense forests. It is like the Alps of 
Switzerland and the Black Forest combined. There are 
snow-clad peaks, large glaciers, and neve regions of vast 
extent in the higher altitudes, while the valleys below are 
dark and sombre in their covering of deep, cool forests. 
The main range of the Rockies presents no such rankness 
of vegetable growth — mosses, ferns, and lichens covering 
every available surface on tree trunks and boulders — nor 
such huge trees as those found everywhere in the Selkirks. 

Moreover, the mountains of the Selkirk Range proba- 
bly average 1000 feet lower than in the corresponding 
parts of the main range, but nevertheless they seem 
white and brilliant in their mantles of everlasting snow 
and sparkling glaciers. Finally, one observes that the rail- 
road track is covered at frequent intervals by snow-sheds 
of considerable length, constructed of heavy beams and 
massive timbers, in order to withstand the terrible force 
and weight of winter snow-slides and avalanches. In the 
main range of the Rockies there are no snow sheds. The 
question naturally arises — What is the reason of all these 
differences from the more eastern ranges ? 

The answer to the question is that the climate is more 
humid. The snowfall in winter is so great that it remains 



Humidity of Climate. 123 



all summer at much lower altitudes than in the Rockies, 

and supplies glaciers, which descend perhaps a thousand 
feet nearer to sea-level. The moisture from this deep 
covering of snow, saturates the ground as it melts in the 
spring, and, in addition to frequent, heavy summer rains, 
nourishes the rich forests of these mountains. Moreover, 
the atmosphere is always slightly moister than it is to the 
east, and does not tend to dry up the ground or evaporate 
the mountain snows so rapidly as in the summit range. 

The eastward movement of the atmosphere, carrying 
up moisture from the Pacific, causes a great condensation 
of clouds and a heavy rainfall as the air currents pass over 
the Selkirks, and leaves the atmosphere robbed of a great 
part of its moisture to pass over the next range to the east. 

Almost all the differences between the Selkirks and 
the Rockies proper, spring from the single cause of a 
moister climate. The principal features of extensive snow 
fields and luxuriant forests can be readily understood. 
May not the deep, narrow valleys of the Selkirks be like- 
wise explained from the more rapid action and greater 
erosive power of the mountain streams in cutting down 
their channels ? 

Whatever may be the cause of all these phenomena, 
the results are very apparent. Any one who has visited 
the Selkirks for an extended period has, without doubt, 
spent many a day within doors writing his diary or enjoy- 
ing the pleasure of music or literature, while the rain is 
falling constantly, and the clouds and vapors hang low on 
the mountain sides. The manner in which the clouds 



1^4 The Canadian Rockies. 

come sweeping up the Illicellewaet valley at the base of 
Mount Cheops and turn toward the flanks of Eagle Peak 
or Mount Sir Donald is very impressive. Certainly the 
cloud effects in the Selkirks are magnificent beyond all 
description. 

Nevertheless, it is not encouraging to have a friend 
step off the train and announce the fact that he has been 
enjoying fine weather for several days in the Rocky 
Mountains, some fifty or sixty miles to the east, while you 
have been confined to the house by a long period of rain. 

Often, too, the climber or explorer becomes fretful 
under long confinement, and, taking advantage of an 
apparent clearing away of clouds and a promise of fair 
weather, when far from the hotel, is caught in a sudden 
downpour, and realizes the truth of that scriptural passage 
which was apparently written concerning a similar region 
— " They are wet with the showers of the mountains, and 
embrace the rock for want of a shelter." 

When the railroad first made this region accessible to 
tourists, the Selkirks rapidly acquired a remarkable popu- 
larity, especially among mountain climbers. In this early 
period several parties came over from England and other 
countries of Europe with the express purpose of mak- 
ing mountain ascents. Such parties were those of Dr. 
Green and the two Swiss climbers. Huber and Sulzer. A 
good idea of the difficulties presented by the higher peaks 
to skilled mountaineers may be had from the fact that 
Dr. Green and his party only succeeded in reaching 
the summit of one high peak, while Huber and Sulzer left 



Density of the Forests. 



125 



the Hermit Range in defeat, though they succeeded in 
reaching the top of the sharp rock peak, Mount Sir 
Donald, the Matterhorn of the Selkirks. 

One of the chief difficulties to overcome is the penetra- 
tion of the forest belt below the tree line. No one who 
has not tried a Selkirk forest has any conception of its 
nature in this respect. There are huge tree trunks lying 
on or near the ground, which have been thrown down by 
the precipitate fury of some winter snow slide, or have 
fallen by the natural processes of death and decay. These 
great obstacles are ofttimes covered with a slippery coating 
of moss and lichens, while the ground is fairly concealed 
by a rank growth of ferns, and plants in countless variety. 
The density of the underbrush is rendered still more trying 
to the mountaineer by reason of a plant of the Ginseng 
family, which from its terrible nature is most fitly named 
the Devil's Club, for it is armed with thousands of long 
needle-like spines. This plant grows five or six feet high, 
with a stout stem bearing a few leaves of large size. The 
spines, which are an inch or more in length, project in 
every direction like an array of quills on a porcupine, and 
are strong enough to penetrate the skin and flesh with 
surprising facility. The alder bushes attain a peculiar 
growth in the Selkirks ; each bush consists of a bunch of 
long slender stems, which spread out from the ground in 
every direction, ofttimes with nearly prostrate branches, 
which interlace and form a wellnigh impassable hedge. 
The alder bushes are found most numerous on bare slopes 
of the mountains, where snow slides have stripped down 



1^6 The Canadian Rockies. 



the forests ; or in ravines, where the crumbling earth gives 
no certain foothold to larger and nobler trees. 

In 1893, A. and I made an ascent of Eagle Peak. This 
mountain lies just to the west from the great wedge-shaped 
rock summit of Mount Sir Donald. The altitude of Eagle 
Peak is, I believe, a little more than 9400 feet above 
sea-level, and as the Glacier House is only 4400 feet, 
the ascent involves a climb of 5000 feet. The name of the 
mountain is derived from a great crag or cliff near the 
summit, which appears to lean out from a ridge, and bears 
a striking resemblance to the head of an eagle. When we 
were making our ascent we came suddenly on the Eagle 
itself, which now, on a nearer view, proved to be of colos- 
sal size, a great leaning tower, about sixty feet high. 
Rising from one of the rocky ridges, it reached upwards 
and outwards till the outermost point seemed to overhang 
a bottomless abyss, perhaps twenty or twenty-five feet 
beyond the verge of the precipice. 

The ridge just below the summit is a scene of wild 
confusion, for the rocky ledges have been split up and 
wedged apart by frost and storms till they appear as giant 
blocks of stone ten or fifteen feet high, between the crevi- 
ces of which one may catch glimpses of the valley and 
forests thousands of feet below. 

The view from the summit of Eagle Peak is magnifi- 
cent and well worth the labor of the climb. The prox- 
imity of Mount Sir Donald, which towers more than 1200 
feet higher, causes its sullen precipices to appear strikingly 
grand. The great Illicellewaet neve, with its twenty square 



Mount Sir Donald, from Eagle Peak. 



A Magnificent Panorama. 



127 



miles or more of unbroken snow fields, stretches out in the 
distance and forms part of the eastern horizon. The 
rugged appearance of the Hermit Range to the west, with 
its sharp ridges and needles, is perhaps the most tumultu- 
ous part in all this wild sea of mountain peaks. It has 
been stated on good authority that from Mount Abbott, a 
far lower ridge on the farther side of the valley, more than 
one hundred and twenty individual glaciers may be counted, 
but there are even more within view from Eagle Peak. 

We remained on the summit till nearly three o'clock, 
and thereby took a great risk, as we learned afterwards to 
our exceeding regret. Before leaving, however, we built 
a high cairn and fixed several handkerchiefs among the 
stones so as to render it, if possible, visible from the valley 
below. 

In our descent we found no trouble till we reached tree 
line, when the gathering gloom of nightfall, made earlier 
by a cloudy sky, aroused our apprehensions and led us to 
a serious mistake. Thinking that it would be better to 
follow the course of a stream, which had cut out a deep 
ravine in the mountain side, as there would be more light, 
for a time at least, we commenced our descent with all speed. 
We soon found ourselves in a trap, as the sides of the ravine 
grew constantly deeper and steeper as we descended, and 
it was at length impossible to get out at all. Floundering 
about among the long trailing branches of alders, our de- 
scent soon became a mixture of sliding, falling, and, indeed, 
every method of progress save rational walking. The 
darkness came on rapidly, as the days were short and the 



128 The Canadian Rockies. 



twilight much curtailed, it bein^ late in the summer. In 
an hour it became so absolutely black that the foamy 
course of the stream we followed was the only visible 
object, as even the stars were concealed and their light 
shut out by a heavy covering of dark cloud. Sometimes 
the long, prostrate branches of the alders would catch our 
feet in a most exasperating manner, and cause one or the 
other to slide temporarily head-foremost, till some branch 
or root could be seized in the hand and the progress 
arrested. Once I saw a white object, just below me ap- 
parently, and thinking it might be a stone, was about to 
lower myself in fancied security when suddenly I realized 
that it was the foam of the stream some fifty feet below, 
and that we were on the tdge of a precipice ! At another 
time I fell headlong through a bush and brought up against 
some great obstacle around which I wound my leg, not 
knowing whether it might be a huge grizzly or some other 
denizen of the forest, when sure enough it moved away, 
and rolled over my leg. It was a great boulder nearly a 
yard in diameter. 

This nocturnal descent was the most bitter experience 
I have ever had in mountain climbing, as the anxiety and 
worry consequent upon each movement were exquisitely 
painful, and continued three hours. Arrived at the bot- 
tom of the slope at ten o'clock p.m., we found ourselves in 
the mass of fallen logs and debris near the stream, and 
likewise near the trail. Under the spell of a certain as- 
surance that a few minutes more of toil would bring us 
out to the trail, we thought nothing of falling into holes 



A Terrible Experience. 129 



four or five feet deep, as we plunged about among the logs, 
or, when walking on them, occasionally stepped off into 
space. 

We arrived at the Glacier House at 10:30 p.m., where 
we were surrounded by anxious friends, and regaled by a 
hot dinner of roasted chickens and all manner of good 
things, such as one always finds at this most excellent 
inn. At such times, more than at any other, one ap- 
preciates the thoughtfulness and care of a kind host. 

Our experience on Eagle Peak, trying as it was, could 
not equal that of two gentlemen who, in 1894, made an 
attempt to scale the mountain, Unfortunately they failed 
to reach the summit, and, worse still, were benighted 
among the crags and cliffs at a high altitude, where 
they spent the night in misery. Finding themselves in 
their attempt unable to advance farther for some reason 
or other, they were descending, when it suddenly occurred 
to them that they were on a different ledge from any they 
had seen hitherto. Nightfall was bringing rapidly increas- 
ing darkness, and it seemed impossible, at length, either 
to proceed farther or even to retrace the steps by which 
they had come. Here, then, on a narrow ledge overlook- 
ing a precipice, the awful depths of which were rendered 
still more terrible in the obscurity of gathering gloom, and 
with their feet dangling over the verge, they were forced 
to remain motionless, and wear out the long night in cold 
and sleepless suffering. The next morning a search party 
was organized, and they were conducted back to the com- 
forts of the Glacier House, much to the relief of their 



13° The Canadian Rockies. 



anxious friends, but nearly prostrated by their terrible 
experience. 

Later, we made an ascent of Mount Cheops, a striking 
peak with a most perfect representation of a pyramid 
forming its summit. The view is fine but not worth the 
labor of the climb, as the ascent of the lower slopes seems 
interminably long and tedious by reason of the underbrush 
and steep slope. Like Eagle Peak, the summit revealed 
no evidence of previous conquests, and it will probably be 
a long time before any one will be so far led astray as to 
make a similar attempt. 

Trails and good foot-paths lead from the Glacier House 
to points of interest in the vicinity. The chief resort is 
the Great Glacier itself, where one may witness all the 
phenomena of a large ice stream, or ascend to the vast 
neve, and wander about on a nearly level, and apparently 
limitless, snow field. 

Mount Abbott is an easy and favorite climb, and is 
often successfully attempted by women who are endowed 
with considerable strength and endurance. On the way, 
a small pool, called Marion Lake, is passed. It nestles 
among the cliffs and forests on the mountain side far 
above the valley. It is the only lake I know of in the 
Selkirks. This is one of the remarkable differences be- 
tween the Selkirks and the Summit Range of the Rockies : 
the absence of lakes in one region, and their great number 
in the other. The great majority of lakes in the Rockies 
are very small and often do not deserve the name, as they 
are mere pools a few yards across. But their small size in 



Future of the Selkirks. 13 l 



no way detracts from their beauty, and it is most unfortu- 
nate that the Selkirks possess so few of these, the most 
charming of all features in mountain landscapes. 

The Selkirks are but little known, because the dense 
forests and the immense size of the fallen logs forbid the 
use of horses almost altogether, and will ever prevent the 
mountaineer from making extended journeys into the lesser 
known parts of the mountains, unless trails are cut and kept 
in good order. At present all provisions, blankets, and 
tents must be packed on men's backs, a method that is 
both laborious and expensive. 

It must eventually result, however, that these moun- 
tains will prove a most popular resort for climbers and 
sportsmen. The attractions for either class are very great. 
For the mountaineer, they present all the grandeur and 
beauty of the Swiss Alps, with difficulties of snow and 
rock climbing sufficient to add zest to the sport. The 
multitude of unclimbed peaks likewise offers great oppor- 
tunities for those ambitious for new conquests. The 
immense annual snowfall causes many of the higher peaks 
to assume an appearance of dazzling beauty and brilliancy, 
while the Alpine splendor of these higher altitudes is 
strongly contrasted with the dark-green color of the 
forested valleys. 

For the sportsmen, too, there are abundant opportuni- 
ties to hunt the larger game. On the mountains are 
numerous herds of mountain goats and sheep, while the 
forests abound in bears— the black bear and the grizzly or 
silver tip. During the berry season, these animals frequent 



[3 2 The Canadian Rockies. 



the valleys and are often seen by the railroad men even 
near the Glacier House. One gentleman had the good 
fortune to shoot a black bear from a window of the hotel 
last year. Of course, there is practically no danger from 
even the grizzly bear in this immediate vicinity, as they 
have learned to fear man from being frequently shot at, 
and have long since lost the ferocity which they sometimes 
show in extremely wild and unfrequented regions. 

No mention has yet been made of the kind of trees to 
be found in a Selkirk forest. Almost all the varieties of 
coniferous trees observed in the Rockies, except the 
Lyall's larch, occur in the Selkirks, though each variety 
attains much larger size. The cedar, the hemlock, the 
Douglas fir, and the Engelmann's spruce are most conspic- 
uous and form the chief part of the forest trees. Each of 
these species here attains a diameter of from three feet 
upward, even to six or seven, and a height of from 150 
to 200 feet. 

Nothing is more enjoyable than to take one of the 
mountain trails and enter the depths of the forest, there to 
rest in quiet contemplation where trees alone are visible 
in the limited circle of view. On a quiet afternoon, when 
all is calm and not a breath of air is stirring, the long, 
gray moss hangs in pendent tufts from the lower branches 
of the giant trees, and one feels that this is indeed another 
Acadian forest of which Longfellow sings : 

"This is the forest primeval. The murmuring pines and the hemlocks, 
Bearded with moss and in garments green, indistinct in the twilight, 



Head of Rocky Mountain Sheep. 



The Forest Primeval. 133 



Stand like Druids of eld, with voices sad and prophetic, — 
Stand like harpers hoar, with beards that rest on their bosoms." 

Such indeed is a Selkirk forest. 

The idea that is at length developed in the mind, by a 
long rest in one of these deep and sombre forests, is that 
of the majesty, and silent, motionless power of vegetation. 
The creations of the vegetable world stand on all sides. 
They wellnigh cover the ground ; they limit the horizon, 
and conceal the sky. The tall cedars have a shreddy bark 
that hangs in long strips on their tapering boles and makes 
the strongest contrast with the rough bark of the firs. What 
could be more unlike, too, among evergreens, than the 
spreading fanlike foliage of the cedars, the needle-like 
leaves of the firs, and the delicate spray of the hemlocks ? 

What a vast amount of energy has been preserved in 
these forest giants ; with what a crash they would fall to 
the ground ; and what a quantity of heat — which they have 
stored up from the sun through hundreds of summers — 
would they give out when burned slowly in a fireplace ! 
If we examine a single needle, or a thin shaving of wood, 
under the microscope, and obtain a glimpse of the com- 
plexity of the cells and pores with which this vegetable 
life is carried on ; or consider the wonderful processes by 
which the flowers are fertilized, and the cones mature, so 
that the species may never die out ; and then regard the 
immensity of the whole forest stretching boundless in 
every direction, all constructed from an infinity of atoms, 
the mind and imagination are soon led beyond their 
depth. 



134 The Canadian Rockies. 



Now let the pure, cold light of science, with its precise 
and exact laws, fade away into the warm, mellow glow of 
romance, till we picture the forest as an epitome of human 
life, with its struggles, its suffering, and the slow but cer- 
tain progress from infancy to old age and death. For 
here, among the forest trees, are every age and condition 
represented Beneath, are young trees, vigorous and full 
of promise, hoping, as it were, some day to push their 
highest branches above the general plane of tree tops and 
share the life-giving sun, though, during the struggle, 
many will surely weaken and die in the pale and inefficient 
light beneath the older trees. Then there are the larger 
trees in the full glory of their prime, with massive trunks, 
straight and tall, giving promise of many years of life 
yet to come ; and finally, the giants of the forest, their 
branches torn off by storms or their trunks rent and 
scarred by lightning. Everything about the oldest trees 
betokens the slow decay and all-conquering death, which 
is gradually sapping their life blood and pointing to their 
certain, final destruction. The long, gray moss, gently 
waving in the faintest breath of air, hangs from every 
limb, and makes these venerable monarchs resemble 
bearded patriarchs, which have stood here perhaps a 
thousand years battling with the elements, the wind, and 
the lightning, silent witnesses to the relentless progress of 
the seasons. 

Trees have, however, all the qualifications of living 
forever. There is no reason why a tree should ever die, 
were it not for some unnatural cause, such as the fury of 



Age of Trees. 135 



a storm, the rending power of lightning, or the destructive 
influence of insects and parasites. In California, in the 
Mariposa Grove, some of the giant redwood trees are 
twenty-five hundred years old. They began to grow 
when Solon was making laws for the ancient Greeks. 
These wonderful groves of California are, however, ex- 
ceptional, and have survived by reason of the clemency of 
the climate and the fact that the aromatic redwood is 
avoided by insects. In most forests, the laws of chance 
and probability rarely allow the sturdiest trees to run the 
gamut of more than a few hundred years, and if they 
attain a thousand years, it is their " fourscore — by reason 
of strength." 

In the Selkirks, one sees the ground covered with huge 
tree trunks in all stages of decay, slowly moldering away 
into a newer and richer soil ; some have yielded to the 
natural processes of decay, others to accident or forest 
fires, while in some places winter avalanches have cut off 
the tops of the trees forty or fifty feet above the ground, 
and left nothing but a maze of tall stumps where once 
stood a noble forest. 

The Selkirk forests are dense and sometimes almost 
magnificent in their luxuriance, and vastly surpass the 
forests of the eastern range in the variety of species, the 
size of the trees, and the luxuriant rankness of vegetable 
growth. At the same time they do not approach the 
almost tropical vigor and grandeur of the Pacific Coast 
forests, where a green carpet of moss covers the trunks 
and branches of the huge trees, and even ferns find 



1 3 6 



The Canadian Rockies. 



nourishment in this rich covering, aided by the reeking, 
humid atmosphere, on branches forty or fifty feet above 
the oround. In such a forest, the ferns and brakes reach 
a height of six or eight feet above the ground, the various 
mosses attain a remarkable development, and hang in 
long, green tresses, a yard in length, from every branch, 
and exaggerate the size of the smaller branches, while the 
beautiful tufts of the Hypnum mosses appear like the 
fronds of small ferns, so large do they become. 

The forests of the Summit Range, the Selkirks, and the 
Pacific Coast are almost perfect indexes of the humidity 
of the climate. The Selkirk forests are less vigorous 
than those of the Pacific coast, but more so than the light 
and comparatively open forests of the Summit Range, 
where the climate is much drier. 





CHAPTER IX. 



Mount Assiniboine — Preparations for Visiting it—Ca?np at Heelfs 
Creek — Crossing the Simpson Pass — Shoot a Pack- Horse — A Delightful 
Camp — A Difficult Snow Pass — Burnt Ti?nber — Nature Sounds — Dis- 
covery of a Beautiful Lake — Inspiring View of Mount Assiniboine — 
Our Camp at the Base of the Mountain — Summer Snow- Storms — Inac- 
cessibility of Mount Assiniboine. 

GREAT interest was aroused among tourists in 
the summer of 1895, by the reports of a re- 
markable peak south of Banff named Mount 
Assiniboine. According to current accounts, it was the 
highest mountain so far discovered between the Interna- 
tional boundary and the region of Mounts Brown and 
Hooker. Besides its great altitude, it was said to be ex- 
ceedingly steep on all sides, and surrounded by charm- 
ing valleys dotted with beautiful lakes. The time required 
to reach the mountain with a camping outfit and pack- 
horses was said to be from five to seven days. 

The romance of visiting this wild and interesting region, 
hitherto but little explored, decided me to use one month 
of the summer season in this manner. By great good for- 
tune I met, at Banff, two gentlemen likewise bent on visit- 
ing the same region, and on comparing our prospective 

plans, it appeared that mutual advantage would be gained 

137 



[; *8 The Canadian Rockies. 



by joining our forces. In this way we would have the 
pleasure of a larger company, and at the same time 
the opportunity of separating, should we come to a 
disagreement. 

The sixth of July was decided on as the date for our 
departure. In the meantime, we made frequent visits to 
the log-house of our outfitter, Tom Wilson, who was to 
supply us with horses, our entire camping outfit, and 
guides. Many years previously, Wilson had packed for 
the early railroad surveyors, and had thus gained a valu- 
able experience in all that concerns the management and 
care of pack-animals among the difficulties of mountain 
trails. In the past few years, he has been engaged in 
supplying tourists with camping outfits and guides, for 
excursions among the mountains. 

The season of 1895 was very backward, and there was 
an unusually late fall of snow at Banff, in the middle of 
June. Moreover, the weather had remained so cold that 
the snow on the higher passes still remained very deep, 
and several bands of Indians, who attempted to cross the 
mountains with their horses late in June, were repulsed by 
snow six or eight feet deep. 

The weather continued cold and changeable during the 
first week in July. In the meanwhile, however, our prep- 
arations for departure went on without interruption, and 
Wilson's log-house, where the supplies and camp outfits 
were safely stored, became a scene of busy preparation. 

On every side were to be seen the various necessaries 
of camp life : saddles for the horses, piles of blankets, 



Preparation for Departure. 139 



here and there ropes, tents, and hobbles. Great heaps of 
provisions were likewise piled up in apparent confusion, 
though, in reality, every item was portioned out and care- 
fully calculated. Rashers of bacon and bags of flour 
comprised the main bulk of the provisions, but there were, 
besides, the luxuries of tea, coffee, and sugar, in addition 
to large quantities of hard tack, dried fruits and raisins, 
oatmeal, and cans of condensed milk. Pots and pails, 
knives, forks, and spoons, and the necessary cooking 
utensils were collected in other places. Our men were 
already engaged for the trip, and were now busily moving 
about, seeing that everything was in order, the saddle 
girths, hobbles, and ropes in good condition, the axes 
sharp, and the rifles bright and clean. 

At length the sixth of July came, but proved showery 
and wet like many preceding days. Nevertheless, our 
men started in the morning for the first camp, which was 
to be at Heely's Creek, about six miles from Banff. Our 
prospective route to Mount Assiniboine was, first, over 
the Simpson Pass to the Simpson River, and thence, by 
some rather uncertain passes, eastward, toward the region 
of the mountain. 

Toward the middle of the afternoon we started on foot 
for Heely's Creek, where our men were to meet us and 
have the camp prepared. Passing northward up the val- 
ley, we followed the road by the famous Cave and Basin, 
where the hot sulphur water bubbles up among the lime- 
stone formations which they have deposited round their 
borders. The Cave appears to be the cone or crater of 



140 



The Canadian Rockies. 



some extinct geyser, and now a passage-way has been cut 
under one wall, so that bathers may enjoy hot baths in 
this cavern. A single opening in the roof admits the 
lioht. 

A short time after leaving these interesting places, we 
had to branch off from the road, and plunge into a burnt 
forest, where there was supposed to be a trail. The trail 
soon faded away into obscurity among the maze of logs, 
and, worse still, it now came on to rain gently but con- 
stantly. After an hour or more of hard work we came to 
Heely's Creek. 

The camp was on the farther side of the creek, and, 
after shouting several times, Peyto, our chief packer, 

came dash- 
ing down on 
horseback, 
and convey- 
ed us, one 
at a time, 
across the 
deep, swift 
stream. 
Peyto made 
an ideal pic- 
ture of the 
wild west, 
mounted as 
he was on 
an Indian 




PEYTO. 



Camp at Heely's Creek. 



141 



steed, with Mexican stirrups. A great sombrero hat pushed 
to one side, a buckskin shirt ornate with Indian fringes on 
sleeves and seams, and cartridge belt holding a hunting 
knife and a six-shooter, recalled the romantic days of old 
when this was the costume throughout the entire west. 

Our encampment consisted of three tents, prettily 
grouped among some large spruce trees. A log fire was 
burning before each tent, and, on our arrival, the cooks 
began to prepare our supper. This was my first night 
in a tent for a year, and the conditions were unfavor- 
able for comfort, as we were all soaked through by 
our long tramp in the bush, and, moreover, it was still 
raining. Nevertheless, we were all contented and happy, 
our clothes soon dried before the camp fires, and after 
supper we sang a few popular songs, then rolled up in 
warm blankets on beds of balsam boughs, and slept peace- 
fully till morning. 

I was awakened at dawn by the cry of " Breakfast is 
ready," and prepared forthwith to do it justice. The day 
appeared cloudy but not very threatening. In an hour the 
packers began their work, and it was wonderful to observe 
the system and rapidity of their movements. The horses, 
of which we had seven as pack-animals and two for 
the saddle, were caught and led to the camp, where they 
were tied to trees near by. All the provisions, tents, cook 
boxes, bags, and camp paraphernalia were then made 
ready for packing. There are three prime requisites in 
skilful packing. They are : the proper adjustment of 
the blanket and saddle so that it will neither chafe the 



142 



The Canadian Rockies. 




back of the horse nor slip while on the march; the exact 
balancing of the two packs ; and the knowledge of the 

"diamond 
hitch." The 
wonderful 
combination 
of turns and 
loops which 
go to make up 
the diamond 
hitch has al- 
ways been sur- 
rounded with 
a certain sec- 
recy, and jeal- 
ously guarded 

by those initiated into the mysteries of its formation. It 
was formerly so essential a part of the education of a 
Westerner that as much as one hundred dollars have been 
paid for the privilege of learning it. Without going into 
details, it may be described as a certain manner of placing 
the ropes round the packs, which, once learned, is exceed- 
ingly simple to tie on or take off, and it will hold the pack in 
place under the most trying circumstances. The name is 
derived from a diamond-shaped figure formed by the ropes 
between the packs. 

By eight o'clock our procession of ten horses was on 
the march, and, after passing through a meadow where 
every blade of grass was hung with pendent drops of 



PACKING THE BUCKSKIN. 



On the March. 



H3 



mingled rain and dew, now sparkling bright in the morn- 
ing sun, we came to the trail. Our winding cavalcade 
followed near the creek and gradually rose above its 
roaring waters, which dashed madly over many a cascade 
and waterfall in its rocky course. Our pathway rose con- 
stantly and led us through rich forests. 

Peyto led the procession mounted on an Indian horse 
called Chiniquy, not a very noble-looking beast, but a 
veteran on the trail, and, by reason of his long legs, a 
most trustworthy animal in crossing deep rivers. Then 
followed the pack-horses with the men inter- 
spersed to take care of them, and the rear 
was brought up by our second packer, like- 
wise on horseback. The greater part of 
the time, the gentlemen of the expedition 
kept in the rear. 

The flowers w r ere in all the glory of their 
spring-time luxuriance, and we discovered 
new varieties in every meadow, swamp, and 
grove. Beside the several varieties of ane- 
mones, the yellow columbines, violets, and 
countless other herbaceous plants, we found, 
during the march of this day, six kinds of 
orchids. Among them was the small and 
beautiful, purple Calypso, which we found 
in bogs and damp woods, rearing its showy 
blossom a few inches above the ground. 
At the base is a single heart-shaped leaf. We were very 
much pleased to find this elegant and rare orchid growing 




CALYPSO. 



i44 The Canadian Rockies. 



so abundantly here. There is a certain regal nobility and 
elegance pertaining to the whole family of orchids, which 
elevates them above all plants, and places them nearest 
to animate creation. Whether we find them in high 
northern latitudes, in cold bogs, or in dark forests, re- 
treating far from the haunts of men, avoiding even their 
own kind, solitary and unseen ; or perhaps crowded on the 
branches of trees in a tropical forest, guarded from man by 
venomous serpents, the stealthy jaguar, stinging insects 
and a fever-laden air ; they command the greatest interest 
of the botanist and the highest prices of the connoisseur. 

We camped at about two o'clock, not far from the 
summit of the Simpson Pass, in a valley guarded on both 
sides by continuous mountains of great height. 

We were surprised the next day, on reaching the sum- 
mit, to find the pass covered with snow, heaped in great 
drifts, ten or twenty feet deep, among the trees. The 
Simpson Pass is only 6884 ^ eet above tide, and, conse- 
quently, is below the tree line. Near the summit were two 
small ponds still frozen over. A warm sun and a genial 
south wind were, however, rapidly dissolving the snow 
and reducing it to slush, while clear streams of water were 
running in the meadows everywhere, regardless of regular 
channels. 

As we began our descent on the south side, a great 
change came over the scene. Two hundred feet of descent 
brought us from this snowy landscape to warm mountain 
slopes, where the grass was almost concealed by reason of 
myriads of yellow lilies in full blossom, mingled with 



The Simpson River. 145 



white anemones. These banks of flowers, resembling the 
artificial creations of a hot-house, were sometimes sur- 
rounded on all sides by lingering patches of snow. Such 
constant and sudden change is characteristic of moun- 
tain climates, where a few warm days suffice to melt 
the snow and coax forth the flowers with surprising 
rapidity. 

The trail now descended rapidly, and led us through 
forests much denser and more luxuriant than those on the 
other side of the pass. Everything betokened a moister 
climate, and the character of the vegetation had changed 
so much that many new kinds of plants appeared, while 
those with which we were familiar grew ranker and larger. 
We had crossed the continental divide, from Alberta into 
British Columbia. 

Early in the afternoon we came to our camping place 
on the banks of the Simpson River, where a great number 
of teepee poles proved this to be a favorite resort among 
the Indians. On all sides, the mountains were heavily 
forested to a great height, and, far above, gray limestone 
cliffs rose in bare precipices nearly free of snow. 

On July the ninth, we made the longest and most ardu- 
ous march so far taken. Our route, at first, lay down the 
Simpson River for several miles. While the horses and 
men followed the river bed almost constantly, making 
frequent crossings to avail themselves of better walking 
and short cuts, the rest of us necessarily remained on one 
bank, and were compelled to make rapid progress to keep 
up with our heavily laden horses. 



10 



146 The Canadian Rockies. 



After we had proceeded down the winding banks of 
the Simpson River for about two hours, our pass, a mere 
notch in the mountains, was descried by Mr. B., who had 
visited this region two years before in company with 
Wilson. The pass lay to the east, and it was necessary 
for every one to cross the river, which was here a very 
swift stream nearly a yard in depth. We all got across in 
safety, but had not advanced into the forest on the farther 
side more than fifty yards, when one of my pack-horses 
fell, by reason of the rough ground, and broke a leg. It 
required but a few minutes to unpack the poor beast and 
end his career with a rifle bullet. The packs were then 
placed on old Chiniquy, the faithful beast hitherto used 
by Peyto as a saddle-horse. 

In less than fifteen minutes we were ready to proceed 
again. The trail now led us up very steep ascents on a 
forest-clad mountain slope for several hours. After this 
we entered a gap in the mountains and followed a stream 
for many miles, and at length pitched our camp late in the 
afternoon, after having been on the march for nine hours. 

Every one was rejoiced at the prospect of a rest and 
something to eat. Even the horses, so soon as their 
packs and saddles were removed, showed their pleasure 
by rolling on the ground before hastening off to a meadow 
near by. Axes were busy cutting tent poles and fire- 
wood. Soon the three tents were placed in position, and 
fires were burning brightly before each, while the cooks 
prepared dinner. 

This place was most delightful. The immediate 



A Delightful Camp. H7 



ground was quite level and grassy. Near by was a clear 
deep stream with a gentle, nearly imperceptible current, 
which afforded a fine place for a cold plunge. The moun- 
tains hemmed in a valley of moderate width and presented 
a continuous barrier on either side for many miles. The 
general character of the scenery was like that of the 
Sierra Nevadas, with high cliffs partly adorned with trees 
and shrubs, down which countless waterfalls fell from 
heights so great, that they resembled threads of silver, 
waving from side to side in the chanoqn^ currents of air. 
On the mountain side south of our camp, there stood a 
remarkable castle or fortress of rock, where nature had 
apparently indulged her fancy in copying the works of 
men. So perfect was the representation, that no aid from 
the imagination was required to see ramparts, embrasures, 
and turreted fortifications of a castle, in the remarkable 
pinnacles and clefts cut out by nature from the horizontal 
strata. The next morning, every one was more or less 
inspired with a pleasing anticipation and excitement, as, 
according to reports, we had not far to go before we 
should get our first view of Mount Assiniboine. At the 
end of our valley was a pass, from the summit of which 
Mount Assiniboine could be seen. The trail led us 
through a forest with but little underbrush, and presently 
a beautiful lake burst on our view. Two of us, being 
somewhat in advance of the pack train, caught a dozen 
fine trout here in a very short time, and were only inter- 
rupted by the arrival of the horses and men. The fish 
were so numerous that they could be seen everywhere on 



148 The Canadian Rockies. 



the bottom, and at the appearance of our artificial flies 
on the water, several fish would rise at once. 

In half an hour, the summit of our pass appeared over 
the tree tops, and rose, apparently, 500 feet higher. The 
state of the pass was, however such as to cool our enthusi- 
asm decidedly. It was completely covered with snow to 
a great depth, which made it seem probable that we would 
not succeed in getting the horses over. As this could not 
be proved from our position, we pushed on, determined 
to overcome all difficulties. The snow began to appear, 
at first, in small patches in shady places among the forest 
trees, then in large drifts and finally, everywhere except 
on the most exposed slopes. The trail had been lost for 
some time, buried deep in the snow. Our progress was 
not difficult, however, as the forest had assumed the 
thin and open nature characteristic of high altitudes, and 
it was possible to proceed in any direction. Our horses 
struggled on bravely, and by dint of placing all the men 
in front and breaking down a pathway, we managed to 
effect passages over long stretches where the snow was 
five or six feet deep. After the tree line had been 
reached, we were more fortunate, as a long narrow 
stretch, free of snow led quite to the top of the pass, 
through the otherwise unbroken snow fields. A great 
cornice of snow appeared on our right near the top of the 
pass and showed a depth of more than forty feet. 

Near the top of the pass the travelling was much 
easier, and in a few minutes we were looking over the 
summit across a wide valley to a range of rough moun- 



A Difficult Snow Pass. 



149 



tains hung with glaciers. Beyond them, and rising far 
above, could be seen the sharp crest of Mount Assiniboine, 
faintly out- 
lined against 
the sky in a 
smoky atmos- 
phere. The 
in tervening 
wide valley 
revealed a 
great expanse 
of burnt for- 
est. The 
dreary waste 
of burnt tim- 
ber was only 
relieved by 
two lakes, 
several miles 
distant, rest- 
ing in a notch 
among the 
mountains. 
The nearer 
was about a 
mile in length, 
while slightly 
beyond, and 
at a higher elevation, was the second, a mere pool 







APPROACHING THE PASS. 



150 The Canadian Rockies. 



of dark blue water, resting against the moraine of a 
o-lacier. 

o 

In the valley, a meadow near a large stream seemed 
to offer the best chances for a camp. In an hour we 
reached this spot after a hard descent. Some of our 
horses displayed great sagacity in selecting the safest and 
easiest passages between and around the logs, and gave 
evidence of their previous experience in this kind of work. 

In order to rest the men and horses, after the arduous 
marches of the past forty-eight hours, we decided to re- 
main an entire day at this place. We were also anxious 
to explore the two lakes, as they seemed to offer fair 
promise of beautiful scenery and interesting geological 
formation. Our camp was surrounded on all sides by 
burnt forests and charred logs, and so offered but little of 
the picturesque. A partial compensation was enjoyed, 
however, by reason of the great variety and number of 
song birds which were now nesting in a small swamp near 
by. This bog was clothed in a rich covering of grass, and 
here our horses revelled in the abundance of feed, while 
some small bushes scattered here and there afforded shelter 
and homes for several species of birds. All day long and 
even far into the night we were entertained by their melo- 
dies. The most persistent singer of all was the white- 
crested sparrow, whose sweet little air of six notes was 
repeated every half minute throughout the entire day, be- 
ginning with the first traces of dawn. Perhaps our atten- 
tion was more attracted to the sounds about us because 
there was so little to interest the eye in this place. Smoke 



Nature Sonnets. 15 1 



from distant forest fires obscured whatever there was in 
the way of mountain scenery, while the waste of burnt 
timber was most unattractive. A warm, soft wind blew 
constantly up the valley and made dull moanings and 
weird sounds among the dead trees, where strips of dried 
bark or splinters of wood vibrated in the breeze. The 
rushing stream, fifty yards from our camp, gave out a con- 
stant roar, now louder, now softer, according as the wind 
changed direction and carried the sound towards or away 
from us. The thunders of occasional avalanches, the loud 
reports of stones falling on the mountain sides, were 
mingled with the varied sounds of the wind, the rustling 
of the grass, the moaning trees, and the songs of birds. 
These were all pure nature sounds, most enjoyable and 
elevating. Though but partially appreciated at the time, 
such experiences linger in the memory and help make up 
the complex associations of pleasures whereby one is led 
to return again and again to the mountains, the forests, 
and the wilderness. 

Our time, which was set aside for this region, now 
being consumed, we started on July the twelfth for the 
valley at the base of Mount Assiniboine, where it was 
probable that we should camp for a period of two weeks 
or more. Our route lay toward the end of the valley and 
thence around a projecting spur of the mountain which cut 
off our view. In about two hours our horses were 
struggling up the last steep slope near the summit of the 
divide. I had delayed for a photograph of a small lake, 
so the horses and men were ahead. When at length I 



152 The Canadian Rockies. 



gained the top I found that a misplaced pack had caused 
delay, and so I overtook the entire party on the borders of 
a most beautiful sheet of water. The transformation was 
nearly instantaneous. The burnt timber was completely 
shut out from view by the low ridge we had just passed 
over, and we entered once more a region of green forests. 
The lake was long and narrow ; on the farther side, 
hemmed in by rock slides and cliffs of the mountains, but 
on the west side a trail led along the winding shore among 
larch and spruce trees. In many shady nooks along the 
banks of the lake were snow-drifts, under the trees or 
behind protecting rocks. So long had winter lingered 
this season that part of the lake was still covered with ice. 
Large fragments of ice were drifting down the lake and 
breaking among the ripples. Near the shore in some 
places, the water was filled with thousands of narrow, 
needle-like pieces of ice several inches long and perhaps 
thick as a match, which, by their rubbing together in the 
moving water, made a gentle subdued murmur like the 
rustling of a silken gown. When ice is exposed to a 
bright sun for several days, it shows its internal structure 
by separating into vertical columns, with a grain like that 
of wood. The ice needles which we saw had been formed 
during the last stages of this wonderful process. 

The Indians had made a most excellent trail round the 
lake, as frequently happens in an open country. Wher- 
ever dense brush or much fallen timber occur, the trail 
usually disappears altogether, only to be discovered again 



North Lake. 



First View of Mt. Assiniboine. 153 



where there is less need for it. It is said that a trail, 
once made, will be preserved by the various game ani- 
mals of the country. In fact, there were quite recent 
tracks of a mountain goat in the path we followed around 
the lake. 

The trail closely followed the water's edge and led us to 
the extreme end of the lake and thence eastward, where, 
having left this beautiful sheet of water, we passed through 
a grove for a very short space and came at once to another 
smaller, and possibly still more beautiful, sheet of water. 
Simultaneously the magnificent and long-expected vision 
of Mount Assiniboine appeared. It was a most majestic 
spire or wedge of rock rising out of great snow fields, 
and resembling in a striking manner the Matterhorn of 
Switzerland. 

It would be impossible to describe our feelings at this 
sight, which at length, after several days of severe march- 
ing, now suddenly burst upon our view. The shouts of 
our men, together with the excitement and pleasure de- 
picted in every face, were sufficient evidence of our impres- 
sions. After a short pause, while we endeavored to 
estimate the height and distance and gain some true 
idea of the mountain, all moved on rapidly through 
alternating groves and meadows to our camping place. 
This was at length selected about a half mile from the 
place where we first saw Mount Assiniboine. Here was a 
lake nearly a mile long, which reached up nearly to the 
base of the mountain, from which it was separated by a 



i54 The Canadian Rockies. 



glacier of considerable size. Our camp was on a terrace 
above the lake, near the edge of a forest. A small stream 
ran close to our tent, from which we could obtain water 
for drinking and cooking purposes. The lake was in the 
bottom of a wide valley, which extended northwards from 
our camp for several miles, and then opened into another 
valley running east and west. The whole place might be 
described as an open plain among mountains of gentle 
slope and moderate altitudes, grouped about Assiniboine 
and its immediate spurs. 

Our camp was 7000 feet above sea-level, and this was 
the mean height of the valley in all this vicinity. On 
mountain slopes this would be about the upper limit of 
tree growth, but here, owing to the fact that the whole 
region was elevated, the mean temperature was slightly 
increased, and we found trees growing as high as 7400 or 
7500 feet above sea-level. Nevertheless, the general char- 
acter of the vegetation was sub-alpine. Many larches 
were mingled with the balsam and spruce trees in the 
groves, and extensive areas were destitute of trees alto- 
gether. These moors were clothed with a variety of bushy 
plants, mostly dwarfed by the rigor of the climate, while 
here and there a small balsam tree could be seen, stunted 
and deformed by its long contest for life, and bearing many 
dead branches among those still alive. These bleached 
and lifeless limbs, with their thick, twisted branches resist- 
ing the axe, or even the approach of a wood-cutter, resem- 
bled those weird and awful illustrations of Dore, where 



Summit Lake, near Mount Assiniboine. 



n 



Camp Assiniboine. 155 



evil spirits in the infernal regions are represented trans- 
formed to trees. 

Curiously enough, the trees in the groves were more 
or less huddled together, as though for mutual protection. 
The outlying skirmishers of balsam or spruce were under- 
sized, and often grew in natural hedges, so regular that 
not one single branchlet projected beyond the smooth 
surface, as if sensitive of the wind and cold. The vege- 
table world does not naturally excite our sympathy, but 
this exhibition of, as it were, a united resistance against 
the elements was almost pitiable. 

Snow banks surrounded our camp ard appeared every- 
where in the valley. The lake was not entirely free of ice, 
and large pieces of snow and ice, dislodged from the 
shores, were drifting rapidly down the lake, driven on by 
a strong wind and large waves. The whole picture resem- 
bled a miniature Arctic sea, where the curiously formed 
pieces of ice, often T-shaped and arched over the water, 
recalled the characteristic forms of icebergs. 

It was at first impossible to explain where this never- 
failing supply of ice came from. What was our surprise, 
on making an exploration of the lake, to find that it had 
no outlet and was rapidly rising ! The snow banks and 
masses of ice near the glacier were being gradually lifted 
up and broken off by the rising water, and so floated down 
the lake. 

We remained at Camp Assiniboine for two weeks. 
During this time we ascended many of the lesser peaks 



156 The Canadian Rockies. 



in the vicinity, and made excursions into the neighbor- 
ing valleys on all sides. The smoke only lasted one 
day after our arrival, but, unfortunately, the weather 
during the first week was very uncertain and fickle. A 
succession of storms, very brief but often severe, swept 
over the mountains and treated us to a grand exhibition 
of cloud and storm effects on Mount Assiniboine. Some- 
times the summit would be clear, and sharply outlined 
against the blue sky, but suddenly a mass of black clouds 
would advance from the west and envelope the peak in a 
dark covering. Long streamers of falling snow or rain 
would then approach, and in a few moments we would feel 
the effects at our camp. During these mountain storms 
the wind blows in furious gusts, the air is filled with snow 
or sometimes hailstones, while thunder and lightning con- 
tinue for the space of about ten minutes. The clouds and 
storm rapidly pass over eastward, and the wind falls, while 
the sun warms the air, and in a few minutes removes 
every trace of hail or snow. Thus we were often treated 
to winter and summer weather, with all the gradations 
between, several times over in the space of an hour. 

It seemed impossible to ascend Mount Assiniboine, 
guarded as it was by vertical cliffs and hanging glaciers. 
Only one route appeared on this side of the mountain, and 
this lay up the steep snow-covered slope of a glacier, 
guarded at the top by a long schrund and often swept by 
rocks from a moraine above. It might be possible, having 
gained the top of this, to traverse the great neve surround- 



Summit of Mt. Assiniboine. 



i57 



Ing the rock peak of Mount Assiniboine. From the snow 
fields the bare rock cliffs rise about 3,000 feet. The angle 
of slope on either side is a little more than fifty-one degrees, 
a slope which is often called perpendicular, and, moreover, 
as the strata are horizontal, there are several vertical walls 
of rock, which sweep around the entire north and west 
faces, and apparently make impassable barriers. 




f^^^^^WI^^^^^E 




NORTH LAKE— LOOKING NORTHWEST. 



CHAPTER X. 



Evidence of Game — Discovery of a Mountain Goat — A Long Hunt— 
A Critical Moment — A Terrible Fall — An Unpleasant Experience — 
Habitat of the Mountain Goat — A Change of Weather — A Mag7iificent 
Panorama — Set out to Explore the Mountain — Intense Heat of a Forest 
Fire — Struggling with Burnt Timber — A Mountain Bivouac — Hope and 
Despair — Success at Last — Short Rations — Topography of Mount Assini- 
boine — The Vermilion River — A Wonderful Canyon — Fording the Bow 
River. 

DURING our excursions we met with but little 
game, though it was very evidently a region 
where wild animals were abundant. The ground 
in many places was torn up by bears, where they had dug 
out the gophers and marmots. Large pieces of turf, often 
a foot or eighteen inches square, together with great 
stones piled up and thrown about in confusion around 
these excavations, gave evidence of the strength of these 
powerful beasts. 

Higher up on the mountains we saw numerous tracks 
of the mountain goat, and tufts of wool caught among the 
bushes as they had brushed by them. 

I was strolling through the upper part of the valley 
late one afternoon, when my eye fell suddenly on a moun- 
tain goat walking along the cliffs about a quarter of a mile 

158 



A Goat Hunt. 159 



distant. I had no rifle at the time and so returned to 
camp for one, meanwhile keeping well covered by trees 
and rocks. In a quarter of an hour I was back again and 
saw the goat disappear behind a ledge of rock about a 
half mile distant. The mountain goat always runs up in 
case of danger, so that it is essential to get above them in 
order to hunt successfully. I started forthwith to climb 
to a ledge about 200 feet above the one on which 
the goat appeared. This involved an ascent of some 
600 feet, as the strata had a gentle dip southward 
toward Mount Assiniboine, so that it was necessary to 
take the ledge at a higher point and follow the downward 
slope. I was well covered by intervening cliffs, and the 
wind was favorable. It seemed almost a certainty that I 
should get a shot by following this ledge for about a mile. 
Accordingly I moved rapidly at first, and afterwards more 
cautiously, expecting to see the goat at any moment. At 
length I came to a narrow gorge, partially filled with snow, 
where there were fresh tracks leading both up and down. 
On a further study of the problem, I saw fresh tracks in 
the snow of the valley bottom, and knowing that it would 
be nearly useless to go up for the goat, I took the alterna- 
tive chance of finding the animal below. After a hunt of 
two hours I returned to camp completely baffled. Arrived 
there, I caught sight of the goat standing unconcernedly 
on a still higher ledge. 

It was now late in the day, but after a good camp 
dinner I set off again, determined to have that goat 
if it was necessary to stalk him all night. The animal 



160 The Canadian Rockies. 



was resting on a ledge near the top of a precipice fully 
250 feet in height. I studied his position for at least 
a quarter of an hour, carefully noting the snow patches 
on the ledge above, so that it would be easy to recog- 
nize them on arriving there. Having made sure that 
I could recognize the exact spot below which the goat 
was located, I started to climb, and by a rough esti- 
mate calculated that I should have to ascend at least 
1000 feet. After a few hundred yards, I was com- 
pletely hidden from the goat in a shallow gully. Urged 
on by the excitement of the hunt, I reached the ledge in 
twenty minutes and turned southward. I now had to 
scramble over and among some enormous blocks of stone 
which had fallen from the mountain side and were strewn 
about in wild disorder. Some were twenty feet high, and 
between them were patches of snow which often gave way 
very suddenly and plunged me into deep holes formed by 
the snow melting back from the rock surfaces. Very soon 
I came to a small pool of water and a trickling stream, 
already freezing in the chill night air. 

It was after nine o'clock, though there was still a bright 
twilight in the northwest, somewhat shaded, however, by 
the dark cliffs above. I proceeded very slowly, so as to 
cool down somewhat and become a little steadier after the 
rapid ascent. In about ten minutes I recognized the patch 
of snow under which the goat was located, about one hun- 
dred yards ahead. I went to the edge of the precipice 
cautiously, with rifle ready, and examined the ledges 
below. The up-draught, caused by the sun during the day- 



A Critical Moment. 161 



time, just now changed to the downward flow of the night 
air, chilled by radiation on the mountain side. This I 
thought would arouse the goat, but just at that moment 
my foot slipped and I dislodged a few pieces of loose 
shingle, which went rattling down the cliffs. These 
stones made the goat apprehensive of danger, in all 
probability, for I had no sooner recovered my balance 
than I caught sight of the white head and shoulders of 
the animal about twenty-five yards below. The animal 
stood motionless and stared at me in a surprised but im- 
pudent manner. I took aim, but could not keep the sight 
on him long enough to make sure of a shot, as my rapid 
climb had made my nerves a trifle unsteady. Fortunately, 
the goat showed not the slightest disposition to move and 
in a few seconds I got a good aim and fired. As soon 
as the smoke cleared, I saw a dash of white disap- 
pearing, and then heard a dull thud far below. A 
few seconds later I saw the animal rolling over and over 
down the mountain side, where it finally stopped on a slide 
of loose stones. I had to make a long detour in order to 
get down to the animal, where I arrived in about half 
an hour, and, remarkably enough, both horns were 
uninjured, though the goat had fallen 125 feet 
before striking. This good luck resulted from a 
small snow patch at the base of the cliff, which had broken 
the force of the fall, and here there was a perfect impres- 
sion of the animal's body, eighteen inches deep, in the 
hard snow, while the next place where he had struck was 
about fifteen feet below. 



11 



1 62 The Canadian Rockies. 



It was about 10:30 o'clock when I started for camp, 
and so dark, at this late hour, that it was just possible 
to distinguish the obscure forms of rocks and trees on 
the mountain side. There was still another ledge to be 
passed before I could get down to the valley, where 
the only recognizable landmarks were occasional snow 
patches, and a single bright gleam in the darkness — our 
camp fire. I traversed northwards in descending, so 
as to pass beyond the vertical ledge, and at length, 
thinking that I had gone far enough, tried to descend. 
The place was steep, but as there were a few bushes and 
trees a safe descent seemed practicable. So I unslung 
my rifle, and, after resting it securely in a depression, I 
lowered myself till my feet rested on a projection of rock 
below. At the next move there was great difficulty in 
finding a rest for the rifle. At length I found a fair place, 
and lowered myself again. One more step and I should 
reach the bottom. Fortunately there was a stout balsam 
tree at the top of the ledge, with great twisted roots above 
the rocks, which would afford excellent hand-holds. 
Grasping them, after placing the rifle in the lowest place, 
I lowered myself again, but to my surprise I could not 
touch the bottom, and, looking down, found that I was 
hanging over a ledge twenty feet high with rough stones 
below. Just then the rifle began to slip down, as in my 
movements I had disturbed some bushes supporting it. 
With one hand firmly grasping a stout root, and the toe 
of my boot resting against the cliff, I took the rifle in my 
other hand, and after a most tiresome struggle, succeeded 



A Difficult Descent. 163 



at length in placing it secure for the moment. It was 
now a hand-over-hand contest to get up. In going down 
everything had seemed most firm and secure, but now it 
was impossible to rely on anything, as the bushes broke 
away in my hand or were pulled out by the roots, and the 
rocks all appeared loose or too smooth to grasp. Neces- 
sity, however, knows no law, and after a most desperate 
effort I regained the top of the cliff. Not relishing any 
more experiences of this nature, I groped my way along 
for some distance and finally found an easy descent. On 
reaching the valley, the snow patches here and there 
afforded safe routes, illumined, as they were, by the 
starlight. I reached camp after eleven o'clock tired but 
successful. 

My men started at five o'clock in the morning with ropes 
and a pole to bring down the game. It was a fine young 
male, and we found the meat a most pleasing addition to 
our ordinary fare. Goat meat has always had a bad repu- 
tation among campers and explorers, by reason of its rank 
flavor. This, however, probably depends on the age and 
sex of the animal, or the season of year. In all those that 
I have tried there was merely a faintly sweet flavor, which, 
however, is not at all apparent if the meat is broiled or 
roasted, and it is then equal to very fair beef or mutton. 

The mountain goat inhabits the cliffs and snowy peaks 
of the Rockies, from Alaska to Montana and Idaho, and 
thence southward in certain isolated localities. Both sexes 
are furnished with sharp black horns curving gracefully 
backwards. The muzzle and hoofs are jet black, but the 



164 The Canadian Rockies. 



wool is snow-white, long, and soft, making a beautiful rug 
if the animal is killed in winter. Then the hair becomes 
very long, and the soft thick wool underneath is so dense 
as to prevent the fingers passing through. 

Though these strange animals resemble true goats to 
a remarkable degree, and the old males sometimes have 
beards in winter, they are really a species of antelope, 
closely related to the chamois of Switzerland. They do 
not resemble those animals in wariness and intelligence, 
but are rather stupid and slow in getting out of danger. 
They are, however, pugnacious, and, when brought to bay, 
will often charge on the hunter and work fearful damage 
with their sharp horns. The legs are exceedingly stout 
and so thickly covered with long hair as to give the 
animal a clumsy appearance. Their trails are almost 
always to be found traversing the mountain sides, far 
above the tree line, at the bases of cliffs, and often passing 
over the lowest depression into the next valley. These 
goat tracks are so well marked that they often help the 
mountaineer, and sometimes lead him over places where 
without their guidance it would be impossible to go. The 
gait of the animal when running is a sort of gallop, which 
appears rather slow, but when one considers the nature of 
the ground they traverse, it is very rapid. The most in- 
accessible cliffs, frozen snow fields, or crevassed glaciers 
offer no barriers to these surefooted animals. I have 
seen a herd of several goats bounding along on the face 
of the cliffs, where it did not appear from below that there 
could be any possible foothold. 

When a herd of goats come to a gorge or passage of 



Head of Rocky Mountain Goal. 

Shot July 18th, 1S95. 



Haunt of the Mountain Goat. 



165 




any kind where loose stones 
are liable to be dislodged on 
those below, these skilful 
mountaineers adopt the 
same plan of progress prac- 
tised by human climbers. 
While the herd remains be- 
low, under the protection of 
the cliffs, one goat climbs 
the gully, and upon arriving 
at the top another follows, 
and thus, one by one, all 
escape danger. 

The mountain goat is 
difficult to hunt by reason of 
the amount of climbing 
necessary to get near them, 
or above them. They are 
far less wary than the 
chamois of Switzer- 
land, or the Rocky 
Mountain sheep. 
Nevertheless, they 
seem to be en- 
dowed with a 
wonderful vital- 
ity, and are very 
hard to kill. A 
goat not fatally 
wounded will 



HAUNT OF THE MOUNTAIN GOAT.' 



1 66 The Canadian Rockies. 



often jump from a cliff on which he is standing, and survive 
a considerable fall. A friend of mine shot a goat near 
Lake Louise, which, after the first bullet, rolled down a 
cliff more than thirty feet high and landed on its feet at the 
bottom, where it proceeded to walk off as though nothing 
unusual had happened. The animal I shot near Mount 
Assiniboine fell 125 feet, and then rolled 200 feet farther, 
and was still alive when I reached him half an hour later. 

These animals are by far the most numerous of the big 
game in the Canadian Rockies, and are said to be increas- 
ing in numbers. Their habits of frequenting high alti- 
tudes and inaccessible parts of mountains will tend to 
preserve them for many years from the relentless hunter. 

After a week of fickle weather with five inches of new 
snow on July 15th, there was a decided change for the 
better, and the warm, bright days following one another 
more regularly gave us the first taste of real summer that 
we had. The massed drifts of snow diminished from day 
to day and the ice disappeared from the lakes. Nature, 
however, tempered her delights by ushering in vast num- 
bers of mosquitoes and bull-dog flies to plague us. I was 
engaged at this time in some surveying work, in order to 
determine the height of Mount Assiniboine, and had to 
exercise the utmost patience in sighting the instruments, 
surrounded by hundreds of voracious foes, and often had 
to allow my face and hands to remain exposed to their 
stings for several minutes. 

We obtained the most imposing view of Mount Assin- 
iboine from the summit of a mountain about five miles 






Another View of Mount Assiniboine. 167 



east of our camp. Standing- at an altitude of 8800 feet, 
there were eighteen lakes, large and small, to be seen in 
the various valleys, which, together with the tumultuous 
ranges of the Rocky Mountains on every side, some of 
them fifty or sixty miles distant, formed a magnificent 
panorama. 
From this 
point, which 
was nearly 
due north of 
Mount Assin- 
iboine, the 
m o u n t a i n 
shows an out- 
line altogether 
different from 
that seen at 
our camp. 

Here it forms a magnificent termination of a stupendous 
wall or ridge of rock, about 11,000 feet high, which runs 
eastward for several miles, and then curving around to 
the north, rises into another lofty peak nearly rivalling 
Mount Assiniboine in height. A very large glacier sweeps 
down from the neve on the north side of this lesser peak, 
and descends in a crevassed slope to the valley bottom. 

The valley just east of us was quite filled by three 
lakes, the uppermost deep blue, the next greenish, and a 
smaller one, farther north, of a yellowish color. 

Our last exploit at Mount Assiniboine was to walk 




MOUNT ASSINIBOINE FROM NORTHWEST. 




1 68 The Canadian Rockies. 



completely around the mountain. We had long desired 
to learn something of the east and south sides of this 
interesting peak, and to effect this Mr. B., Peyto, and I 
started on July 26th. determined to see as "much as pos- 
sible in a three days' trip. Our provisions consisted of 
bacon, hard tack, tea, sugar, and raisins. Besides this we 
carried one blanket apiece, a small hand axe, and a camera. 
As our success would depend in great measure on the 
rapidity of our movements, we did not burden ourselves 
with ice-axes or firearms except a six-shooter. After bid- 
ding farewell to Mr. P. and the other men in camp, and 
telling them to expect us back in three days, we left our 
camp at eight o'clock in the morning. We walked for 
three miles through the open valleys to the north and 
east, and in about two hours stood at the top of the pass, 
some 8000 feet above sea-level. From here we made a 
rapid descent for about 2000 feet, to the largest lake of 
this unexplored valley, which probably supplies one of the 
tributaries to the Spray River. The change in the char- 
acter of the vegetation was remarkable. The trees grew 
to an immense size and reminded me strongly of a Selkirk 
forest. W 7 e had a most difficult scramble here in the 
pathless forest and up the opposite side of the valley. 
The heat was oppressive, and we were glad to gain the 
level of another more elevated valley where a cooler 
atmosphere greeted us. We held our way eastward for 
several miles through a fine upland meadow, where the 
walking was easy and the surroundings delightful. By 
noon we reached a small, shallow lake near the highest 



Intense Heat of a Forest Fire. 169 



part of the divide, considerably below tree line. Here 
we decided to rest and have lunch. Mr. B. had explored 
this region with one of his men a few days previously, 
and from him we learned that we should have to struggle 
with burnt timber in a few moments. The onward rush 
of the devastating fire had been stopped near the pass, 
where the trees were small and scattered. After a short 
descent we entered the burnt timber. I have never before 
seen a region so absolutely devastated by fire as this. 
The fire must have burnt with an unusually fierce heat, 
for it had consumed the smaller trees entirely, or warped 
them over till they had formed half circles, with their tops 
touching the ground. The outcrops of sandstone and 
quartz rocks had been splintered into sharp-edged, gritty 
stones, covering the ground everywhere like so many 
knives. The course of the valley now turned rapidly to 
the south, so that we rounded a corner of the great mass 
of mountains culminating in Mount Assiniboine. The 
mountain itself had been for a long time shut out from 
view by an intervening lofty ridge of glacier-clad peaks, 
which were, in reality, merely outlying spurs. 

The valley in which we were now walking had an un- 
usual formation, for after a short distance we approached 
a great step, or drop, whereby the valley bottom made a 
descent of 400 or 500 feet at an exceedingly steep pitch. 
Here it was difficult to descend even in the easiest 
places. Arrived at the bottom of the descent it was not 
very long before another appeared, far deeper than the 
first. The mountains on either side, especially a most 



i;o The Canadian Rockies. 



striking and prominent peak on the east side of the 
valley, which had hitherto appeared of majestic height, 
seemed to rise to immeasurable altitudes as we plunged 
deeper and deeper in rapid descent. 

The burnt timber continued without interruption. 
Our passage became mere log walking, as the extra exer- 
tion of jumping over the trees was worse than following 
a crooked course on top of the prostrate trunks. This 
laborious and exceedingly tiresome work continued for 
three hours, and at length the charred trunks, uprooted 
or burnt off near the ground, and crossed in every direc- 
tion, were piled so high that we were often ten or twelve 
feet above the ground, and had to work out our puzzling 
passage with considerable forethought. At hve o'clock 
our labors ended. We made a camp near a large stream 
which appeared to take its source near Mount Assini- 
boine. The only good thing about this camp was the 
abundance of firewood, which was well seasoned, required 
but little chopping, and was already half converted into 
charcoal. Under the shelter of an overhanging limestone 
ledge we made three lean-tos by supporting our blankets 
on upright stakes. Black as coal-heavers from our long 
walk in the burnt timber, seeking a refuge in the rocky 
ledges of the mountains, and clad in uncouth garments 
torn and discolored, we must have resembled the aborigi- 
nal savages of this wild region. Some thick masses of 
sphagnum moss, long since dried up, gave us a soft cover- 
ing, to place on the rough, rocky ground. Our supper 
consisted of bacon, hard tack, and tea. Large flat stones 



A Mountain Bivouac. 17 1 



laid on a gentle charcoal fire served to broil our bacon 
most excellently, though the heat soon cracked the stones 
in pieces. 

At eight o'clock we retired to the protection of our 
shelter. Overhead the starless sky was cloudy and threat- 
ened rain. The aneroid, which was falling, indicated that 
our altitude was only 4,700 feet above the sea. We 
arose early in the morning ; our breakfast was over and 
everybody ready to proceed at seven o'clock. We were 
now on the Pacific slope, and, according to our calcula- 
tions, on one of the tributaries to the north fork of the 
Cross River, which, in turn, is a tributary to the Kootanie. 

We had a plan to explore up the valley from which our 
stream issued, but beyond that, all was indefinite. It was 
possible that this valley led around Mount Assiniboine so 
that we could reach camp in two days. We were, how- 
ever, certain of nothing as to the geography of the region 
which we were now entering. 

The clouds covered the entire sky and obscured the 
highest mountain peaks. Worse still, they steadily de- 
scended lower and lower, a sign of bad weather. We had, 
however, but this day in which to see the south side of 
Mount Assiniboine, and consequently were resolved to do 
our best, though the chances were much against us. For 
three hours we followed the stream through the burnt tim- 
ber, then the country became more open and our progress, 
accordingly, more rapid. A little after ten o'clock we sat 
down by the bank of the stream to rest for a few moments, 
and eat a lunch of hard tack and cold bacon. Such fare 



i/2 The Canadian Rockies. 



may seem far from appetizing to those of sedentary habits, 
but our tramp of three hours over the fallen trees was 
equivalent to fully five or six hours walking on a good 
country road, and what with the fresh mountain air and a 
light breakfast early in the morning, our simple lunch was 
most acceptable. 

A most pleasing and encouraging change of weather 
now took place. A sudden gleam of sunlight, partially 
paled by a thin cloud, called our attention upward, when 
to our great relief several areas of blue sky appeared, the 
clouds were rising and breaking up, and there was every 
prospect of a change for the better. 

Once more assuming our various packs, we pushed on 
with renewed energy. On the left or south was a long 
lofty ridge of nearly uniform height. On the right was a 
stupendous mountain wall of great height, the top of which 
was concealed by the clouds. This impassable barrier 
seemed to curve around at the head of the valley, and, turn- 
ing to the south, join the ridge on the opposite side. 
This then was a "blind" valley without an outlet. There 
were two courses open to us. The first was to wait a few 
hours, hoping to see Mount Assiniboine and return to 
camp the way we came. The second was to force a passage, 
if possible, over the mountain ridge to the south and so 
descend into the North Fork valley, which we were certain 
lay on the other side. The latter plan was much preferable, 
as we would have a better chance to see Mount Assiniboine, 
and the possibility of returning to camp by a new route. 

After a short discussion, we selected a favorable slope 



Hope and Despair. 173 



and began. to ascend the mountain ridge. A vast assem- 
blage of obstacles behind us in the shape of two high 
passes, dense forests, and a horrid infinity of fallen trees, 
crossed bewilderingly, made a picture in our minds, con- 
stant and vivid as it was, that urged us forward. In strik- 
ing contrast to this picture, hope had built a pleasing air 
castle before us. We were now climbing to its outworks, 
and should we succeed in capturing the place, a new and 
pleasant route would lead us back to camp and place us 
there — so bold is hope — perhaps by nightfall. 

Thus with a repelling force pushing from behind and 
an attractive force drawing us forward, we were resolved 
to overcome all but the insuperable. 

There was much of interest on the mountain slope, 
which was gentle, and allowed us to pay some attention to 
our surroundings. On this slope the scattered pine trees 
had escaped the fire and offered a pleasant contrast to 
the burnt timber. We passed several red-colored ledges 
containing rich deposits of iron ore, while crystals of 
calcite and siderite were strewed everywhere, and often 
formed a brilliant surface of sparkling, sharp-edged rhombs 
over the dull gray limestone. Among the limestones and 
shales we found fossil shells and several species of trilo- 
bites. 

In an hour we had come apparently to the top of our 
ridge, though of course we hardly dared hope it was the 
true summit. As, one by one, we reached a commanding 
spot, a blank, silent gaze stole over the face of each. To 
our dismay, a vertical wall of rock, without any opening 



i;4 The Canadian Rockies. 



whatever, stood before us and rose a half thousand feet 
higher. Thus were all our hopes dashed to the ground 
suddenly, and we turned perforce, in imagination, to our 
weary return over the many miles of dead and prostrate 
tree trunks that intervened between us and our camp. 

The main object of our long journey was, however, 
at this time attained, for the clouds lifted and revealed the 
south side of Mount Assiniboine, a sight that probably no 
other white men have ever seen. I took my camera and 
descended on a rocky ridge for some distance in order to 
get a photograph. Returning to where my friends were 
resting, I felt the first sensation of dizziness and weakness, 
resulting from unusual physical exertion and a meagre 
diet. I joined the others in another repast of raisins and 
hard tack, taken from our rapidly diminishing store of 
provisions. 

Some more propitious divinity must have been guiding 
our affairs at this time, for while we were despondent at 
our defeat, and engaged in discussing the most extrava- 
gant routes up an inaccessible cliff, our eyes fell on a well 
defined goat trail leading along the mountain side on our 
left. It offered a chance and we accepted it. Peyto set 
off ahead of us while we were packing up our burdens, 
and soon appeared like a small black spot on the steep 
mountain side. Having already passed several places that 
appeared very dangerous, what was our surprise to see him 
now begin to move slowly up a slope of snow that ap- 
peared nearly vertical. We stood still from amazement, 
and argued that if he could go up such a place as that, 
he could go anywhere, and that where he went we could 



Success at Last. 175 



follow. We rushed after him, and found the goat trail 
nearly a foot wide, and the dangerous places not so bad 
as they seemed. The snow ascent was remarkably steep, 
but safe enough, and, after reaching the top, the goat trail 
led us on, like a faithful guide pointing out a safe route. 
We could only see a short distance ahead by reason of 
the great ridges and gullies that we crossed. Below us 
was a steep slope, rough with projecting crags, while, as we 
passed along, showers of loose stones rolled down the moun- 
tain side and made an infernal clatter, ever reminding us 
not to slip. At one o'clock we stood on the top of the 
ridge 9000 feet above sea-level, having ascended 4300 feet 
from our last camp. 

The valley of the north fork of the Cross River lay 
far below, with green timber once more in sight, inviting 
us to descend. After five minutes delay, for another 
photograph, we started our descent, very rapidly, at first, 
in order to get warm. We descended a steep slope of 
loose debris, then through a long gully, rather rough, and 
rendered dangerous by loose stones, till at length we 
reached the grassy slopes, then bushes, finally trees and 
forests, with a warm summery atmosphere. Here, 
beautiful asters and castilleias, and beds of the fragrant 
Linneas, delicate, low herbs with pale, twin flowers, each 
pair pendent on a single stem, gave a new appearance to 
the vegetation. In still greater contrast to the dark con- 
iferous forests of the mountain, there were many white 
birch trees, and a few small maples, the first I have ever 
seen in the Rockies. In a meadow by the river we feasted 
on wild strawberries, which were now in their prime. 



i/6 The Canadian Rockies. 



Near the river we discovered a trail, the first we had 
seen so far on our journey around Assiniboine. After an 
hour of walking we came to a number of horses, and soon 
saw on the other side of the river a camp of another party 
of gentlemen, who were exploring this region, and had 
been out from Banff twenty-four days. We forded the 
river, and found it a little over our knees, but very swift. 

A very pleasant half hour was spent at this place, en- 
joying their hospitality, and then we pushed on. We 
were now going westward up the valley, which held a 
straight course of about six miles, and then turned 
around to the north. The trail being good, we 
walked very rapidly till nightfall in a supreme 
effort to reach our camp that night. Having now 
been on our feet almost continuously for the past 
fifteen hours, we had become so fatigued that a very 
slight obstruction was sufficient to cause a fall, and every 
few minutes some one of the party would go headlong 
among the burnt timber. We had barely enough pro- 
visions for another meal, however, and so we desired to 
get as near headquarters as possible. At length, night- 
fall having rendered farther progress impossible, we found 
a fairly level place among the prostrate trees, and, after a 
meal of bacon and hard tack, lay down on the ground 
around a large fire. The night was mild, and extreme weari- 
ness gave us sound sleep. After four hours of sleep, we were 
again on foot at four o'clock in the morning. We marched 
into camp at 6:30, where the cooks were just building the 
morning fires, and commencing to prepare breakfast. 



Topography. 177 



We were without doubt the first to accomplish the 
circuit of Mount Assiniboine. By pedometer, the dis- 
tance was fifty-one miles, which we accomplished in forty- 
six hours, or less than two days. 

Mount Assiniboine is the culminating point of a nearly 
square system of mountains covering about thirty-five 
square miles. According to my estimates from angles 
taken by surveying instruments made on the spot, the 
mountain is 11,680 feet in height. Later on, how- 
ever, I learned from Mr. McArthur, who is connected 
with the Topographical Survey, and who has probably 
climbed more peaks of the Canadian Rockies than any 
other two men, that, according to some angles taken on 
this mountain from a great distance, the height is 11,830 
feet. 

Three rivers, the Spray, the Simpson, and the North 
Fork of the Cross, drain this region, and as the two latter 
flow into the Columbia, and the former into the Sas- 
katchewan, this great mountain is on the watershed, and 
consequently on the boundary line between Alberta and 
British Columbia. About two-thirds of the forest area 
round its base has been burned over, and this renders 
the scenery most unattractive. The north and northwest 
sides, however, are covered with green timber, and studded 
with lakes, of which one is two miles or more in length. 
There are in all thirteen lakes around the immediate base 
of the mountain, and some are exquisitely beautiful. 

The great height and striking appearance of Mount 
Assiniboine will undoubtedly, in the future, attract moun- 



i;S The Canadian Rockies. 



taineers to this region, especially as a much shorter route 
exists than the one we followed. If the trail is opened 
along the Spray River, the explorer should be able to 
reach the mountain, with horses, in two days from Banff. 
Mount Assiniboine, especially when seen from the north, 
resembles the Matterhorn in a striking manner. Its top 
is often shrouded in clouds, and when the wind is westerly, 
frequently displays a long cloud banner trailing out from 
its eastern side. The mountain is one that will prove 
exceedingly difficult to the climber. On every side the 
slope is no less than fifty degrees, and on the east, ap- 
proaches sixty-five or seventy. Moreover, the horizontal 
strata have weathered away in such a manner as to form 
vertical ledges, which completely girdle the mountain, and, 
from below, appear to offer a hopeless problem. In every 
storm the mountain is covered with new snow, even in 
summer, and this comes rushing down in frequent ava- 
lanches, thus adding a new source of danger and perplexity 
to the mountaineer. 

The day of our arrival in camp was spent in much- 
needed rest. Our time was now up, and it was necessary, 
on the next day, to commence our homeward journey, 
and, as our winding cavalcade left the beautiful site of 
our camp under the towering walls of Mount Assiniboine, 
many were the unexpressed feelings of regret, for in the 
two weeks spent here we had had many delightful experi- 
ences, and had become familiar with every charming view 
of lakes and forests and mountains. 

In two days we reached the fork where the Simpson 



Crossing the Vermilion River. 179 



and Vermilion rivers unite. It was our intention to 
follow up the Vermilion River and reach the Bow valley 
by the Vermilion Pass. The Vermilion River is at this 
point a large, deep stream flowing swiftly and smoothly 
The valley is very wide and densely forested, with occa- 
sional open places near the river. For three days we 
progressed up the river, often being compelled to cross it 
on account of the dense timber. At one place, after 
several of the horses had gained a bar in the middle of 
the river, one of those following, got beyond his depth 
and was swept rapidly down, and appeared in great danger 
of being drowned. Fortunately, the animal was caught 
by an eddy current, and by desperate swimming at length 
gained the bar. The poor beast was, however, so much 
benumbed by the cold water that he could not climb upon 
the bar, but the men dashed in bravely, and by pulling on 
head and packs, and even his tail, the animal finally 
struggled into shallow water. Standing up to our knees 
in the water, with a deep channel on either side of us and 
an angry rapid below, our prospects were far from en- 
couraging. 

I mounted old Chiniquy behind Peyto and we plunged 
in first. " It 's swim sure this time," said Peyto to me, as 
the water rose at once nearly to the horse's back, and the 
ice-cold water, creeping momentarily higher, gave us a 
most uncomfortable sensation. The current was so swift 
that the water was banked up much higher on the up- 
stream side. Such crossings are very exciting, for at any 
moment the horse may stumble on the rough bottom or 



180 The Canadian Rockies. 



plunge into a deep hole. Chiniquy had a hard time of 
it and groaned at every step, but got us across all right. 
The rest all followed, not, however, over-confident at our 
success, to judge by their anxious looks. All got across 
except one pack-horse, which, after a voyage down stream, 
we finally caught and pulled ashore. 

There was evidence of much game in this valley, as 
we saw many tracks of deer, caribou, and bears. One 
day, just as we stopped to camp, a doe started up and ran 
by us. We camped on August 2nd at a beautiful spot 
near the summit of the Vermilion Pass. A large stream 
came in from the northwest, and we set out to explore it 
for a short distance, as, before leaving Banff, we had heard 
of a remarkable canyon near this place. 

Not more than an eighth of a mile from the junction 
of the two streams the canyon commences. At first, the 
stream is hemmed in by two rocky walls a few feet in 
height, but as one ascends, the walls become higher and 
higher, and the sound of the roaring stream is lost in the 
black depth of a gloomy chasm. To one leaning over the 
edge of the beetling precipice, this wonderful gorge ap- 
pears like a bottomless rift or rent in the mountain side, 
and so deep is it and so closely do the opposite, irregular 
walls press one towards another, that it is impossible to 
see the waters below from which a faint, sullen murmur 
comes up. 

Most wonderful of all, the canyon at length comes to 
a sudden termination, and here the whole mighty stream 
plunges headlong, as it were, into the very bowels of the 



A Wonderful Canyon. 



181 



earth. The boiling stream, turned snow-white by a short 
preliminary leap, makes a final plunge downwards and 
is lost to sight in a dark cavernous hole, perhaps 300 
feet deep, whence proceeds a most awful roar, like that 
of ponderous machinery in motion. The ground, which 
is here a solid quartzite formation, fairly trembles at 
the terrible concussion and force of the falling waters, 
while cold, mist-laden airs ascend in whirling gusts from 
the awful depths. Niagara is majestically and supremely 
grand, but this lesser fall, where the water plunges into a 
black bottomless hole, is by far the more terrifying. 

On the fourth of August we reached the summit of 
the Vermilion Pass. On the summit we passed several 
small lakes 
in the forest. 
The water was 
of a most beau- 
tiful color, far 
more vivid 
than any I 
have hitherto 
seen. In the 
shallow places 
where the bot- 
tom could be 
easily seen, 
the water as- 
sumed a bright, clear, green color, and in the deeper 
places, according to the light and angle of view, the color 




» viz. 



LAKE ON VERMILION PASS. 



182 



The Canadian Rockies. 



varied to darker hues of all possible shades and tints. 
The rich colors of sky and water in the Rocky Mountains 
is one of the most beautiful features of the scenery, but 
likewise one that can only be appreciated by actual 
experience. 

Our horses were plagued by great numbers of bull-dog 
flies as we entered the Bow valley. It seems as though 
these insects were more numerous in the valley of the 
Bow, and its various tributaries, than in those parts of the 
mountains drained by other rivers. 

At four o'clock we reached the Bow River, and forded 
it where the width was about one hundred yards, and the 
depth four feet. My camera and several plates were 
flooded in this passage, which was, however, effected in 
safety. 

A inarch of one hour more, along the tote-road, brought 
us to the station of Castle Mountain, once a thriving vil- 
lage in the railroad-construction days, but now presenting 
a forlorn and deserted appearance. The section men 
flagged the east-bound train for us, and we arrived in 
Banff that evening, after having been in camp for twenty- 
nine days. 





CHAPTER XI. 

The Waputehk Range — Height of the Mountains — Vast Snow Fields 
and Glaciers — Journey up the Bow — Home of a Prospector — Causes and 
Frequency of Forest Fires — A Visit to the Lower Bow Lake — Muskegs — 
A Mountain Flooded with Ice — Delightful Scenes at the Upper Bow 
Lake — Beauty of the Shores — Lake Trout — The Great Bow Glacier. 

THE Summit Range of the Rocky Mountains as they 
extend northward from the deep and narrow 
valley of the Kicking Horse River has a special 
name — the Waputehk Range, — derived, it is said, from a 
word which in the language of the Stoney Indians means 
the White Goat. 

From the summit of one of the peaks in this range, 
the climber beholds a sea of mountains running in long, 
nearly parallel, ridges, sometimes uniting and rising to a 
higher altitude, and again dividing, so as to form countless 
spurs and a complicated topography. In this range each 
ridge usually presents a lofty escarpment and bare pre- 
cipitous walls of rock on its eastern face, while the oppo- 
site slope is more gentle. Here the Cambrian sandstones 
and shales and the limestones of later ages may be seen 
in clearly marked strata tilted up, generally, toward the 
east, though many of the mountains reveal contortions 
and faults throughout their structure, which indicate the 

183 



1S4 The Canadian Rockies. 



wellnioh inconceivable forces that have here been at 

o 

work. 

The Waputehk Mountains have remained to this day 
but very little known, and almost totally unexplored, in 
their interior portions. No passes are known through 
this ran^e between the Kicking Horse Pass on the south 
and the Howse Pass on the north. Then another long 
interval northwards to the Athabasca Pass is said by the 
Indians to offer an impassable barrier to men and horses. 
The continuity of the range is well indicated by the fact 
that, for a distance of one hundred miles, these mountains 
present only one pass across the range available for horses. 
The several ridges which form this range rise to a 
very uniform altitude of 10,000 or 11,000 feet. On Pal- 
liser's map of this region, one peak north of the Howse 
Pass, Mount Forbes, is accredited with an altitude of 
13,400 feet, and the standard atlases have for many years 
placed the altitude of Mount Brown at 16,000 feet, and 
that of Mount Hooker at 15,700 feet, but there is much 
reason to doubt that any mountains attain such heights 
in this part of the Rocky Mountains. 

A heavy snowfall, due to the precipitation brought 
about by this lofty and continuous range, as the westerly 
winds ascend and pass over it, and the existence of many 
elevated plateaus, or large areas having gentle slopes, 
have conspired to make vast neve regions and boundless 
snowfields among these mountains. From the snowflelds, 
long tongues of ice and large glaciers descend into the 
valleys, and thus drain away the surplus material from the 



The Waputehk Range. 

Looking across the range from near Hector. 



The Waputehk Range. 185 



higher altitudes. No other parts of the Rocky Mountains, 
south of Alaska, have glaciers and snowfields which may 
compare in size or extent with those of the Waputehk 
Range. 

The desolate though grand extent of gray cliffs and 
boundless snowfields, extending farther than the eye can 
reach, when seen from a high altitude, gives no suggestion 
of the delightful valleys below, where many beautiful 
lakes nestle among the green forests, and form picturesque 
mirrors for the surrounding rugged mountains. On the 
shores of one of these mountain lakes, in the genial warmth 
of lower altitudes, where the water is hemmed in, and en- 
croached upon, by the trees and luxuriant vegetation 
fostered by a moist climate, the explorer beholds each 
mountain peak as the central point of interest in every 
view. Each cliff or massive snow-covered mountain then 
appears an unscalable height reaching upward toward the 
heavens, — a most inspiring work of nature, raising the eyes 
and the thoughts above the common level of our earth. 
When seen from high altitudes, a mountain appears merely 
as a part of a vast panorama or a single element in a wild, 
limitless scene of desolate peaks, which raise their bare, 
bleak summits among the sea of mountains far up into the 
cold regions of the atmosphere, where they become white 
with eternal snow, and bound by rigid glaciers. 

Having become much interested in reports of the vast 
dimensions of the glaciers in the Waputehk Mountains, 
and the beauty of the lakes, especially near the sources of 
the Bow River and the Little Fork of the Saskatchewan, I 



iS6 



The Canadian Rockies. 




started on August 14th, 1895, with the intention of visiting 
those regions and spending some time there. My outfit 

consisted of 
five horses, a 
cook, and a 
packer. I had 
engaged Pey- 
to for the lat- 
ter service, as 
he had been 
most efficient 
on our trip to 
MountAssini- 
boine. We 
left Laggan a 
little before 

noon. Not far from the station, there commenced an old 
tote-road, which runs northward for many miles toward the 
source of the Bow River. This tote-road had been hastilv 
built for wagons, previous to the construction of the rail- 
road through the Kicking Horse Pass, for at one time it 
was thought the line would cross the range by the Howse 
Pass. 

Thus for several miles we enjoyed easy and rapid trav- 
elling. The weather was mild and pleasant, and my men 
seemed pleased at the prospect of another month or so in 
camp. 

In the course of a few miles we came to the house of 
an old prospector. As trrn was the farthest outpost of 



READY TO MARCH. 



Home of a Prospector. 187 



civilization, and the old man was reported to be an inter- 
esting character, I entered the log-house for a brief visit. 
The prospector's name was Hunter. I found him at 
home and was cordially welcomed. Here, in a state of 
solitude and absolute loneliness, with no lake or stream to 
entertain, and surrounded by a bristling maze of bleached 
bare sticks looking like the masts of countless ships in a 
great harbor, this man had spent several years of his life, 
and, moreover, was apparently happy. On his table I saw 
spread about illustrated magazines from the United States 
and Canada, newspapers, and books. The house was 
roughly but comfortably finished inside, and furnished 
with good chairs and tables evidently imported from 
civilization. 

This isolated dwelling and its solitary inhabitant 
reminded me somewhat of Thoreau at Walden Pond. 
Like this lover of nature, Hunter enjoys his hermit life, 
which he varies occasionally by a visit to the village of 
Laggan. Hunter had the better house of the two men, 
but Thoreau must have had much more to entertain him, 
in his garden, and the beautiful lake with its constant 
change of light and shadow, and the surrounding forests 
full of well-known plants and trees, where his bird and 
animal friends lived in undisturbed possession. 

No sooner had we taken leave of this interesting home 
of the old prospector, than the trail plunged into the 
intricacies of the burnt timber, and our horses were 
severely tried. Peyto and another man had been at work 
on this part of the trail for two days, very fortunately for 



1 88 The Canadian Rockies. 



us, as without some clearing we should not have been 
able to force our way through. 

The fire had run through after the tote-road was built, 
so that the fallen timber now rendered it nearly impas- 
sable in many places. The forest fires have been much 
more frequent since the country has been opened by the 
whites, but it would be a great mistake to conclude that 
before the arrival of civilized men the country was clothed 
by an uninterrupted primeval forest. When we read the 
accounts of Alexander Mackenzie, and the earliest 
explorers in the Rocky Mountains, we find burnt timber 
frequently mentioned. 

However, these accounts only cover the last one hun- 
dred years, and records of geology must be sought previous 
to 1 793. Dr. Dawson mentions a place near the Bow 
River where forest trees at least one hundred years old 
are growing over a bed of charcoal made by an ancient 
forest fire. Another bank near the Bow River, not far 
from Banff, reveals seven layers of charcoal, and under 
each layer the clay is reddened or otherwise changed by 
the heat. Thus the oldest records carry us back thou- 
sands of years. The cause of these ancient fires was 
probably, in great part, lightning, and possibly the 
escaping camp fires of an aboriginal race of men. 

Forest fires in the Canadian Rockies only prevail at 
one season of the year — in July, August, and September, 
— when the severe heat dries up the underbrush and fallen 
timber. Earlier than this, everything is saturated by the 
melting snows of winter, while in autumn the sharp frosts 



Forest Fires. 189 



and heavy night dews keep the forests damp. According 
to the condition of the trees, a forest fire will burn some- 
times slowly and sometimes with fearful rapidity. When 
a long period of dry, hot weather has prevailed, the fire, 
once started, leaps from tree to tree, while the sparks soar 
high into the air and, dropping farther, kindle a thousand 
places at once. The furious uprush of heated air causes 
a strong draught, which fans the fire into a still more 
intense heat. Sometimes whirlwinds of smoke and heated 
air are seen above the forest fires, and at other times the 
great mass of vapor and smoke rises to such a height that 
condensation ensues, and clouds are formed. In the sum- 
mer of 1893, a forest fire was raging about five miles east 
of Laggan. Standing at an altitude of 9000 feet, I had 
a grand view of the ascending smoke and vapors, which 
rose in the form of a ^reat mushroom, or at other times 
more like a pine tree, — in fact, resembling a volcanic erup- 
tion. Judging by the height of Mount Temple, the clouds 
rose about 13,000 feet above the valley, or to an altitude 
of 18,000 feet above sea-level. It was a cumulus cloud, 
shining brilliant in the sunlight, but often revealing a cop- 
pery cast from the presence of smoke. The ascending 
vapors gave a striking example of one of the laws of 
rising air currents. The tendency of an ascending col- 
umn of air is to break up into a succession of uprushes, 
separated by brief intervals of repose, and not to rise 
steadily and constantly. The law was clearly illustrated 
by this cloud, which, at intervals of about five or six 
minutes, would nearly disappear and then rapidly 



i9° The Canadian Rockies. 



form again and rise to an immense height and mag- 
nitude. 

In the course of a few years after a forest fire has 
swept along its destructive course, the work of regenera- 
tion begins, and a new crop of trees appears. Some- 
times the growth is alike all over the burnt region, young 
trees springing up spontaneously everywhere, and some- 
times the surrounding green forests send out skirmishers, 
and gradually encroach on the burnt areas. Curiously 
enough, however, a new kind of tree replaces the old 
almost invariably. Out on the prairie the poplar usually 
follows the coniferous trees, but in the Rockies, where the 
poplar can not grow at high altitudes, the pines follow 
after spruce and balsam, or vice versa. The contest of 
species in nature is so keen that the slightest advantage 
gained by any, is sufficient to cause its universal establish- 
ment. This is probably due to the fact that the soil becomes 
somewhat exhausted in the particular elements needed by 
one species of tree, so that when they are removed by an 
unnatural cause, new kinds have the advantage in the 
renewed struggle for existence. Thus we have a natural ro- 
tation of crops illustrated in the replacement of forest trees. 

While we have been considering the causes and effects 
of forest fires, our horses and men have been struggling 
with the more material side of the question, and as the 
imagination leaps lightly over all sorts of obstacles, let us 
now overtake them as they arrive at a good camping place 
about eight miles from Laggan. Here the Bow is no 
longer worthy the name of a river, but is rather a broad, 



The Lower Bow Lake. 



191 



shallow stream, flowing with moderate rapidity. Towards 
evening Peyto shot a black duck on the river, and I caught 
a fine string of trout, so that our camp fare was much 
improved. 

The next day we marched for about three hours 
through light forests and extensive swamps, finally pitch- 
ing our camp near the first Bow Lake. The fishing was 
remarkably fine in this part of the river. From a single 
pool I caught, in less than three minutes, five trout which 
averaged more than one pound each. We camped in this 
place for two days in order to have time to explore about 
the lake. This first Bow Lake is about four miles long, by 
perhaps one mile wide, and occupies the gently curving 
basin of a valley which here sweeps into that of the Bow. 
There is something remarkable in the unusual manner in 
which the Bow River divides itself into two streams some 
time before it reaches this lake. The lesser of these two 
streams continues in a straight course down the valley, 
while the larger deviates to the west and flows into the 
lower end of the lake, only to flow out again about a 
fourth of a mile farther down, at the extreme end of the 
lake. The island thus formed is intersected everywhere 
by the ancient courses of the river, which are now marked 
by crooked and devious channels, in great part filled with 
clear water, forming pools everywhere. This whole region 
must have once formed part of a much larger lake, as for 
several miles down the valley there are extensive swamps, 
almost perfectly level and underlaid by large deposits of 
fine clay. 



i9- The Canadian Rockies. 



The drier places in these muskegs are covered with a 
growth of bushes or clumps of trees, gathered together on 
hummocks slightly elevated above the general level. A 
rich growth of grass and sedge covers the lower and 
wetter places, which often assume all the features of a 
peat bog, with a thick growth of sphagnum mosses, while 
the ground trembles, for many yards about, under the 
tread of men and horses. 

The next day Peyto and I crossed the river on one of 
our best horses known as the " Bay," and after turning 
him back towards the meadow, we started on a tramp 
around the lake. We followed the west shore for the 
entire distance. The last half mile was over a talus slope 
of loose stones, broken down from the overhanging moun- 
tain, and now disposed at a very steep angle. There was 
a barely perceptible shelf or beach about six inches wide, 
just at the edge of the water, which we gladly took 
advantage of while it lasted. 

The glacial stream entering the lake has built out a 
curious delta, not fan-shaped as we should expect, but 
almost perfectly straight from shore to shore. This delta 
is a great gravel wash, nearly level, and quite bare of 
trees or plants, except a few herbs, the seeds of which 
have lately been washed down from higher up the valley. 
All this material has been carried into the lake since the 
time when, in the great Ice Age, these valleys were 
flooded with glaciers several thousand feet in depth. 

As we turned the corner near the end of the gravel 
wash, the glaciers at the head of the valley began to 



Mount Daly 



A Mountain Flooded with Ice. 193 



appear, and in a few more steps we commanded a magnifi- 
cent view of a great mountain, literally covered by a vast 
sheet of ice and snow, from the very summit down to our 
level. As we looked up the long gentle slope of this 
mountain, we could hardly realize that it rose more than 
5000 feet above us. The glacier which descended into 
the valley was not very wide, but showed the lines of flow 
very clearly. Six converging streams of ice united to 
form the glacier on our right, while the glacier on the left 
poured down a steep descent from the east, and formed a 
beautiful ice cascade, where the sharp-pointed seracs, lean- 
ing forward, resembled a cataract suddenly frozen and 
rendered motionless. As if by way of contrast, a beauti- 
ful little waterfall poured gracefully over a dark precipice 
of rock on the opposite side of the valley, and added 
motion to this grand expanse of dazzling white snow. 
The loud-roaring, muddy stream near where we stood, is 
one of the principal sources of the Bow, and, after deposit- 
ing its milky sediment in the lake, the waters flow out 
purified and crystal clear, of that deep blue color charac- 
teristic of glacial water. On a smaller scale this lake is 
like Lake Geneva, with the Rhone entering at one end, 
muddy and polluted with glacial clays, and flowing out 
at the other, transparently clear, and blue as the skies 
above it. 

After a partial ascent of Mount Hector on the next 
day, we moved our camp and continued our progress up 
the Bow River for about two hours. Here we camped on 
a terrace near the water, surrounded on all sides by a very 



i94 The Canadian Rockies. 



light forest in a charming spot. On the following day the 
trail led us for two miles through some very bad country, 
where the horses broke through the loose ground between 
the roots of trees, and in their efforts to extricate them- 
selves were often in great danger of breaking a leg. 
Fortunately, however, this was not of long duration. The 
trail soon improved and became very clearly marked like 
a well made bridle-path. It led us along the banks of 
the Bow, through groves of black pine, with a few spruces 
intermingled. The ascent was constant, though gradual, 
and our altitude was made apparent by the manner in 
which the trees grew in clumps, and by the fact that the 
forests were no longer densely luxuriant, but quite open, 
so that the horses could go easily among the trees in any 
direction. 

In about three hours after leaving camp, our horses 
entered an open meadow where the trail deserted us, but 
there was not the slightest difficulty in making good 
progress. To the south, a great wall of rock rose to an 
immense height, one of the lower escarpments of the 
Waputehk Range, and as we progressed through the 
pleasant moors a remarkable glacier was gradually re- 
vealed, clinging to the cliffs in a three-pronged mass. 
As, one by one, these branches of the glaciers were dis- 
closed, they appeared first in profile, and owing to the very 
steep pitch down which the ice was forced to descend, 
the glacier was rent and splintered into deep crevasses, 
with sharp pinnacles of ice between, which appeared to 
lean out over the steep descent and threaten to fall at 
any moment. 



The Upper Bow Lake. 195 



The absence of trees to the north of us, and the 
general depression of the country in that direction, gave 
us every indication that we were approaching the Upper 
Bow Lake, nor were our surmises incorrect, for in a few 
minutes more of progress, after seeing the glacier, glimpses 
of water surface were to be had in the near distance among 
the trees. I went ahead of our column of horses and 
selected a beautiful site for our camp, on the shore of the 
lake, only a few yards from the water. The surrounding 
region was certainly the most charming I have seen in 
the Rocky Mountains. The lake on which we camped 
was nearly cut off from the main body of water to the 
north, by a contraction of the shores to a narrow channel. 
In fact, it might be regarded as a land-locked harbor of 
the Upper Bow Lake. Just below our camping place the 
waters were contracted again, and descended in a shallow 
rapid to another lake, resting against the mountain side 
on the south. This latter lake is about three or four 
feet lower than the others, and appeared to -be about 
two-thirds of a mile in length. 

This region, for the artist with pencil and brush, 
would be a fairy-land of inexhaustible treasures. The 
shores along these various lakes were of a most irregular 
nature, and in sweeping curves or sudden turns, formed 
innumerable coves and bays, no less pleasing by reason 
of their small extent. Long, low stretches of land, adorned 
with forest trees, stretched straight and narrow far out 
into the two larger lakes, their ends dissolving into chains 
of wooded islands, separated from the mainland by shal- 



i9° The Canadian Rockies. 



low channels of the clearest water. In every direction 
were charming vistas of wooded isles and bushy shores, 
while in the distance were the irregular outlines of the 
mountains, their images often reflected in the surface of 
the water. The very nature of the shores themselves, 
besides their irregular contours, varied from place to place 
in a remarkable manner. In one locality the waters 
became suddenly deep, the abrupt shores were rocky, and 
formed low cliffs ; in other places the bottom shelved off 
more gradually, and there would be a narrow beach of 
sand and small pebbles, ofttimes strewed with the wreck- 
age of some storm, — a massive tree trunk washed upon 
the beach, or stranded in shallow water near the shore. 

There were, moreover, many shallow areas and 
swampy tracts where a rich, rank growth of water grasses 
and sedges extended into the lake. Such border regions 
between the land and water were perhaps the most 
beautiful and attractive of all the many variations of 
these delightful shores. The coarse, saw-edged leaves 
of the sedges, harsh to the touch, are pliant in the 
gentlest breath of wind. The waving meadows of green 
banners, or ribbons, rising above the water, uniform in 
height, and sensitive to the slightest air motion, rustle 
continuously as the breezes sweep over thern, and rub 
their rough surfaces together. 

From this region, wherein were combined so many 
charming views of nature, with mountain scenery, lakes, 
islands, and forests, all of the most attractive kind, it 
proved impossible to move our camp for several days. 



Upper Bow Lake. 



Lookifig east. 



Excursions. 197 



During the time that we remained here, our explora- 
tions and wanderings took us along all the shores and 
islands, and up the neighboring mountain slopes. On 
one of the islands opposite our camp we discovered a 
small pool of singular formation. The pool was nearly 
circular, and about ten yards in diameter. The bottom 
was funnel-shaped, and in the very centre was a black 
circle — in fact a bottomless hole — apparently connected 
by dark subterranean channels with the depths of the 
adjacent lake. Its borders were low and swampy, where 
the spongy ground quaked as we moved about, and 
trembled so much that we feared at any moment to be 
swallowed up. In fact the whole pool became rippled by 
the movements of its banks. 

The glacier opposite was the object of another trip, 
and this, too, proved interesting. The neve on the flat 
plateau above discharges its surplus ice for the most part 
by hanging glaciers, which from time to time break off 
and fall down the precipice. We were often startled 
both day and night by the thunder of these avalanches. 
Two tongues of ice, however, effect a descent of the 
precipice where the slope is less steep, and though much 
crevassed and splintered by the rapid motion, they reach 
the bottom intact. Here the two streams, together with 
the accumulations of ice constantly falling down from 
above, become welded into a single glacier, which ter- 
minates only a short distance from the lake. The most 
unusual circumstance about this glacier is the fact that 
the ice is much higher at the very end than a little 



io8 The Canadian Rockies. 



farther back, so that a great, swelling mound of ice, 
about 200 feet thick, forms the termination. 

About one fourth of a mile below the end of the 
glacier, on an old moraine ridge now covered over with 
luxuriant forest, we saw a towering cliff of rock rising 
above the trees. This proved, on a closer examination, 
to be a separate boulder, which must have been carried 
there by the ice a long time ago. It was of colossal pro- 
portions, at least sixty feet high, and nearly as large in 
its other dimensions. From the top we had an extensive 
view of the lakes and valleys ; while at its base we found 
on one side an overhanging roof, making so complete a 
shelter, that it was not difficult to imagine this place to 
have been used by savages, in some past age, as a cave 
dwelling. 

Many years ago, not less than one hundred, the forests 
on the slopes to the east of the valley had been devas- 
tated by a fire. The long lapse of time intervening had, 
however, nearly obliterated the dreary effects of this 
destruction. The trees had replaced themselves scatter- 
ingly among the dead timber, and attained a large size. 
The fallen trunks showed the great length of time they 
had lain on the ground by the spongy, decomposed con- 
dition of the wood. Many of the trunks had dissolved 
into red humus, the last stage of slowly decomposing 
wood, and the fragments were disposed in lines, bare of 
vegetation, indicating where each tree had found its final 
resting-place. 

The swampy shores and large extent of water surface 



Insect Life. 199 



in this region fostered many varieties of gnats, mosqui- 
toes, and other insects, though, fortunately, not in such 
great numbers as to be very troublesome. In fact, the 
season of the year was approaching that period when the 
mosquitoes suddenly and regularly disappear, for some 
unexplained reason. I have always noticed that in the 
Canadian Rockies the mosquitoes become much reduced 
in numbers between the 15th and 20th of August, and 
after that time cause little or no trouble. In order, how- 
ever, that there may be no lack of insect pests, nature 
has substituted several species of small flies and midgets, 
which appear about this time and follow in a rotation of 
species, till the sharp frosts of October put an end to all 
active insect life. Some of these small pests are no less 
troublesome than the mosquitoes which have preceded 
them, though they afford a variation in their manner of 
annoyance, and are accordingly the more endurable. 

Along the reedy shores of the lake and sometimes 
over its placid surface, when the air was quiet toward 
evening, we often saw clouds of gnats hovering motion- 
less in one spot, or at times moving restlessly from place 
to place, like some lightless will-o'-the-wisp, composed of 
a myriad of black points, darting and circling one about 
another. Nature seems to love circular motion : for just 
as the stars composing the cloudy nebulae revolve about 
their centres of gravity in infinite numbers, moving for- 
ever, through an infinity of space ; so do these ephemeral 
creations of our world pass their brief lives in a ceaseless 
vortex of complicated circles. 



2oo The Canadian Rockies. 



On one occasion we built a raft to ferry us across the 
narrow part of the lake so that we might try the fishing 
on the farther side. The raft was hastily constructed, 
and, after we had reached deep water, it proved to be in a 
state of stable equilibrium only when the upper surface 
was a yard under water. After a thorough wetting we 
finally reached the shore, and proceeded to build a more 
trustworthy craft. 

On the 2 1 st of August we moved our camp down to 
the north end of the lake. Here the nature of the scenery 
is entirely changed. Whereas the lower end of the lake 
abounds in land-locked channels and wooded islands, so 
combined as to make the most pleasing and artistic pic- 
tures from every shore, the other part of this lake pre- 
sents regular shore lines, and everything is formed on a 
more extensive scale. The north side of the lake is 
curved in a great arc, so symmetrical in appearance that 
it seems mathematically perfect, and the eye sweeps along 
several miles of shore at a single glance as though this 
were some bay on the sea-coast. 

As we neared the north end of the lake, a valley was 
disclosed toward the west, and an immense glacier ap- 
peared descending from the crest of the Waputehk Range. 
Even at a distance of three or four miles, this glacier 
revealed its great size. The lower part descended in 
several regular falls to nearly the level of the lake. In 
the lower part, the glacier is less than a mile in width, but 
above, the ice stream expands to three or four miles, and 
extends back indefinitely, probably ten miles or more. 



Upper Bow Lake. 

Looking west. 



Companions. 201 



This Great Bow Glacier had the same position relatively 
to the lake, as the glacier we visited at the Lower Bow 
Lake held to that body of water. 

A better knowledge of these lakes revealed a striking 
similarity between them. Each lake occupies a curving 
valley, which in each case enters the Bow valley from the 
south. The two lakes are about the same size and 
nearly the same shape, a long gentle curve about five 
times longer than broad. At the head of each, though 
at slightly different distances, are large glaciers. The 
glacial streams have likewise formed flat gravel washes, 
or deltas, which have encroached regularly on the lake 
and formed a straight line from shore to shore, perfectly 
similar one to another. A further resemblance might be 
observed in the presence of two talus slopes from the 
mountain sides, in each case on the south side of the 
lake, near the delta. The Lower Bow Lake is about 
5500 feet above sea-level, while the upper lake is a little 
more than 6000 feet. The increased altitude has the 
effect of making the forest more open, and the country 
more generally accessible, in the region of the upper lake. 
From one point on the shores of the upper lake, five 
large glaciers may be counted, the least of which is two 
miles long, and the greatest has an unknown extent, but is 
certainly ten miles in length. 

Our camp was pleasantly located in the woods not 
far from the water. After Peyto had put up the tent 
and got the camp in order, with the horses enjoying a fine 
pasture, he set off to explore the lake shore toward the 



202 



The Canadian Rockies. 



Great Glacier. He returned to camp about five o'clock 
carrying a fine lake trout which he had caught. This fish 

was t ak e n 
near the shore, 
and was prob- 
ably a small 
one compared 
with those 
which live in 
deeper water ; 
nevertheless, 
it measured 
twenty - three, 
inches in 
length, and 
weighed 
about seven 
pounds. The Bow lakes have a reputation for abounding 
in fish of a very large size. So far as I am aware, no 
boat has ever sailed these waters, and there is no cer- 
tainty what size the fish may reach in the deeper parts of 
the lake. Judging by trout which have been caught in 
Lake Minnewanka, near Banff, it is very probable that 
they run as high as thirty or forty pounds. 

The next day, Peyto and I took a lunch with us and 
spent the entire day exploring and photographing the 
glacier and its immediate neighborhood. The ice is not 
hemmed in by any terminal moraine, but shelves down 
gradually to a thin edge. In fact the termination of 




CAMP AT UPPER BOW LAKE. 



The Great Bow Glacier. 



203 



the glacier resembles somewhat the hoof of a horse, or 
rather that of a rhinoceros, the divided portions being 
formed by crevasses, while long thin projections of ice 
spread out between. It is a very easy matter to get 
on the glacier, and quite safe to proceed a long way 
on its smooth surface. We had some fine glimpses 
of crevasses so deep that it was impossible to see the 
bottom, while the rich blue color of the ice everywhere 
revealed to us marvels of colored grottoes and hollow- 
sounding caverns, their sides dripping with the surface 
waters. There is something peculiarly attractive, perhaps 
from the danger, pertaining to a deep crevasse in a glacier. 
One stands near the edge and throws, or pushes, large 
stones into these caverns, and listens in awe to the hollow 
echoes from the depths, or the muffled splash as the mis- 
sile finally reaches a pool of water at the bottom. There 
is a suggestion of a lingering death, should one make a 
false step and fall down these horrible crevasses, where, 
wedged between icy walls far below the surface, one could 
see the glimmering light of day above, while starvation 
and cold prolong their agonies. A party of three moun- 
taineers thus lost their lives on Mount Blanc in 1820, and 
more than forty years later their bodies were found at the 
foot of the Glacier des Bossons, whither they had been 
slowly transported, a distance of several miles, by the 
movement of the ice. The most dangerous crevasses are 
not those of the so-called " dry glacier," where the bare ice is 
everywhere visible, but those of the neve regions where the 
crevasses are concealed, or obscured by the overlying snow. 



204 



The Canadian Rockies. 



Not far from the foot of the glacier the muddy stream 
rlows through a miniature canyon, with walls near together, 
cut out of a limestone formation. The water here rushes 
some quarter of a mile,, foaming and angry, as it dashes 
over many a fall and cascade. Where the canyon is deep- 
est an immense block of limestone about twenty-five feet 
long has fallen down, and with either end resting on the 
canyon walls, it affords a natural bridge over the gloomy 
chasm. As probably no human being had ever crossed 
this bridge, we felt a slight hesitation in- making the 
attempt, fearing that even a slight jar might be sufficient 
to dislodge the great mass. It proved, however, quite 
safe and will undoubtedly remain where it is for many 
years and afford a safe crossing-place for those who visit 
this interesting region. 




CHAPTER XII. 

Sources of the Bow — The Little Fork Pass — Magnificence of the 
Scenery — Mount Murchison — Camp on the Divide — A High Mountai?i 
Ascent — Future of the Bow Lakes — Return down the Bow — Search for a 
Pass — Remarkable Agility of Rack- Horses — The "Bay" and the u Pinto " 
— Mountain Solitudes — Mount Hector — Difficult Nature of Johnston 
Creek — A Blinding Snow- Storm — Forty- Mile Creek — Moufit Edith Pass. 

A FINE trout stream entered the lake near our camp. 
This was, in fact, the Bow River. It held a mean- 
dering course a short distance before entering 
the lake, through a level meadow, or rather an open 
region, thickly grown over with alder bushes and other 
shrubby plants. 

We were delayed at this camp by a period of unsettled 
weather with occasional storms and strong winds, so that 
three days were required to finish our explorations. At 
length, on the 24th of August, we broke camp, and fol- 
lowed the Bow valley northwards towards the source of the 
river. The valley preserves its wide character to the head 
of the pass, and is unusual among all the mountain passes 
for several reasons. The ascent to the summit is very grad- 
ual and constant, the valley is wide, and the country is 
quite open. In about two hours we came to the summit, 
and, after a long level reach, the slope insensibly changed 

and the direction of drainage was reversed. 

205 



2o6 The Canadian Rockies. 



This was a most delightful region. The smooth valley 
bottom sloped gradually upward toward the mountains on 
the east and west, and insensibly downward toward the 
valleys north and south, thus making an extensive region 
with gentle slopes curving in two directions, which in some 
way impresses the mind with a sense of quiet grandeur 
and indefinite liberty. But chiefly this region of the divide 
is made charming by a most beautiful arrangement of the 
trees. There are no forests here, nor do the trees grow 
much in groves or clumps, but each tree stands apart, at 
a long interval from every other, so that the branches 
spread out symmetrically in every direction and give per- 
fect forms and beautiful outlines. Between are smooth 
meadows, quite free of brush, but crowded with flowering 
plants, herbs, and grasses, so that the general impression 
is that of a gentleman's park, under the control and care 
of a landscape gardener, rather than of the undirected 
efforts of nature. 

I shall never forget the first view we had into the 
valley of the Saskatchewan. Approaching a low ridge 
at the south side of the valley, suddenly there is re- 
vealed a magnificent panorama of glaciers, lakes, and 
mountains, unparalleled among the Canadian Rockies for 
its combination of grandeur and extent. To the south, 
one beholds the end of an immense glacier, at the termi- 
nation of which there are two great arched caverns in the 
ice. From out these issue two roaring glacial streams, 
the source of the Saskatchewan River, or at least of its 
longest tributary called the Little Fork. Lofty mountains 



Source of the Little Fork of the 
Saskatchewan River. 



The Little Fork Pass. 207 



hem in this glacier on either side, only revealing a portion 
of the vast neve which may be seen extending southward 
for six or seven miles. 

To the north and, as it were, at our feet, though in 
reality a thousand feet below, lay a large and beautiful 
lake with irregular outlines. This lake reaches several 
miles down the valley of the Little Fork, which here 
extends northward so straight and regular, that the view 
is only limited at the distance of thirty miles by the long 
range of mountains on its east side. Dr. Hector, who 
came through this region in the fall of 1858, comments 
on the magnificent extent and grandeur of this view. 

Through a notch in a mass of mountains to the north, 
there appeared the extreme summit of Mount Murchison, 
a very sharp and angular rock peak, which the Indians 
regard as the highest mountain of the Canadian Rockies. 
According to some rough angles taken by Dr. Hector, 
this mountain has an altitude of 13,500 feet. In Palliser's 
Papers a sketch of this mountain, as seen from the sum- 
mit of the Pipestone Pass, makes the rock peak much 
more sharp and striking in appearance even than that 
of Mount Assiniboine, or of Mount Sir Donald in the 
Selkirks. 

We continued our journey over the pass and descended 
into the valley of the Little Fork for several miles. The 
trail was very good, though the descent was remarkably 
steep. We camped by a small narrow lake, in reality 
merely an expansion of the Little Fork. Behind us was 
an area of burnt timber, but southward the forests were 



2o8 The Canadian Rockies. 



in their primeval vigor and the mountains rose to impres- 
sive heights above. The weather became rather dubious, 
and during the night there was a fall of rain, followed by 
colder weather, so that our tent became frozen stiff by 



morning. 



It seemed best to return the next day to the summit of 
the pass, where everything conspired to make an ideal 
camping place. Accordingly, the men packed the horses 
and we located our camp on the crest of the divide, 6350 
feet above sea-level. The tent was pitched in a clump of 
large trees surrounded on all sides by open meadows, 
where one could wander for long distances without en- 
countering rough ground or underbrush. Near the camp 
a small stream, and several pools of clear water, were all 
easily accessible. 

The next day I induced Peyto to ascend a mountain 
with me. He was not used to mountain climbing, and 
had never been any higher than the ridge that we were 
compelled to cross when we were walking around Mount 
Assiniboine, which was less than 9000 feet in altitude. 
The peak which I had now in view lay just to the north- 
east from our camp on the pass. It appeared to be 
between 9000 and 10,000 feet high, and offered no 
apparent difficulties, on the lower part at least. We left 
camp at 8:30 a.m. and passed through some groves of 
spruce and balsam, where we had the good fortune to see 
several grouse roosting among the branches of the trees. 
Peyto soon brought them down with his six-shooter, in 
handling which he always displays remarkable accuracy 



Storm in Little Fork Valley. 



Camp at Little Fork Pass. 



- 
• V 






l*,*U 



* 



fc\J1 






m 9 

1 ' 

- 



■ - 



^ ■ 



i 

' '.U'l 



-.- • ':' 






_ 



ilfe^AcV 



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^w^ -•' 






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r 



A High Mountain Ascent. 209 



and skill. Many a time, when on the trail, I have seen 
him suddenly take his six-shooter and fire into a tall tree, 
whereupon a grouse would come tumbling down, with his 
neck severed, or his head knocked off by the bullet. 

A hawk scented our game and came soaring above us 
so that we had to hide our birds under a covering of stones, 
as of course we did not care to take them with us up the 
mountain. We found not the slightest difficulty in the 
ascent till we came near the summit. The atmosphere 
was remarkably clear, and some clouds high above the 
mountains rendered the conditions very good for photog- 
raphy. At an altitude of 9800 feet we came to the sum- 
mit of the arete which we were climbing, and saw the 
highest point of the mountain about one-third of a mile 
distant, and considerably higher. Fortunately, a crest of 
snow connected the two peaks, and with my ice-axe I 
knocked away the sharp edge, and made a path. In a 
few minutes we were across the difficult part and found 
an easy slope rising gradually to the summit. We reached 
it at i.i 130, and found the altitude 10,125 feet. The view 
from the great snow dome of this unnamed mountain was 
truly magnificent. The Waputehk Range could be seen 
through an extent of more than seventy-five miles, while 
some of the most distant peaks of the Selkirks must have 
been more than one hundred miles from where we stood. 
To the east about ten miles was the high peak of Mount 
Hector, almost touching the clouds. 

In the northern part of the Waputehk Range we saw 
some very high peaks, though the clouds covered every- 



H 



2io The Canadian Rockies. 



thing above 11,000 feet. There seemed to be a storm in 
that direction, as snow could be discerned falling on the 
mountains about thirty miles distant. The general uni- 
formity of height, and the absence of unusually high peaks, 
a characteristic feature of the Canadian Rockies, were very 
clearly revealed from this mountain. 

Peyto was overwhelmed with the magnificent pano- 
rama, and said that he now appreciated, as never before, 
the mania which impels men to climb mountains. The 
storm which we saw in the west and north passed over 
us toward evening, in the form of gentle showers. On the 
next day, however, the weather was perfectly clear and calm. 

On the 26th of August our horses were packed and 
our little procession was in motion early in the morning, 
and we were wending our way down the Bow River. I 
cannot take leave of this region, however, even in imagi- 
nation, without a word in regard to the unusual attractive- 
ness of this part of the mountains. 

In the first place there are magnificent mountains and 
glaciers to interest the mountaineer, and beautiful water 
scenes, with endless combinations of natural scenery for 
the artist ; moreover, the streams abound in brook trout 
and the lakes are full of large lake trout, so numerous as 
to afford endless sport for fishermen. The botanist, the 
geologist, and the general lover of science will likewise 
find extensive fields of inquiry open to him on every side. 

The time of travelling required by us to reach the 
Upper Bow Lake was about nine hours, and this was with 
heavily laden pack-horses. Hitherto, only those con- 



Mount Hector and Slate Mountains. 



Frofn summit of a mountain near Little Fork Pass, 10,125 feet in 

altitude. 



Visions of the Future. 211 



nected with the early explorations, or the railroad surveys, 
have visited this lake, but I cannot look forward to the 
future without conjuring up a vision of a far different 
condition of things. In a few years, if I mistake not, a 
comfortable building, erected in a tasteful and artistic 
manner, will stand near the shores of this lake on some 
beautiful site. A steam launch and row-boats or canoes 
will convey tourists and fishermen over the broad waters 
of the lake, and a fine coach road will connect this place 
with Laggan, so that passengers may leave Banff in the 
morning and, after a ride of two hours by railroad, they 
will be transferred to a coach and reach the Upper Bow 
Lake in time for lunch ! If a good road were constructed 
this would not be impossible, as the distance from Laggan 
is only about twenty miles, and the total ascent 1000 feet. 

With such visions of the future and the more vivid 
memory of recent experiences in mind, we took leave of 
the beautiful sheet of water, and continued on our way 
down the Bow valley. It was not our purpose, however, 
to return to Laggan directly, for Wilson had planned an 
elaborate route, by which some of the wilder parts of the 
mountains might be visited. This route would lead us 
over a course of about eighty or one hundred miles 
through the Slate Mountains and Sawback Range, and 
eventually bring us to Banff. 

We were to follow a certain stream that enters the 
Bow from the north, but as we were now, and had been 
for many days, outside the region covered by Dawson's 
map, it was impossible to feel certain which stream we 



2i2 The Canadian Rockies. 



should take. On our way up the Bow River, Peyto had 
made exploring excursions into several tributary valleys, 
but in every case these had proved to be hemmed in by 
precipitous mountain walls, and guarded at the ends by 
impassable cliffs or large glaciers. 

The second day after leaving the lake we came to a 
lar^e stream which had not been examined hitherto. 
Though we were far from certain that this was the stream 
that had been indicated by Wilson, it seemed best to 
follow up the valley and see where we should come out. 
After ascending an exceedingly steep bank, we found easy 
travelling in a fairly open valley. One fact made us ap- 
prehensive that there was no pass out of the valley. 
There was no sign of a trail on either side of the stream, 
and none of the trees were blazed. Indian trails exist in 
almost every valley where an available pass leads over the 
summit, and where there are no trails the probability is 
that the valley is blind, or, in other words, leads into an 
impassable mountain wall. The valley curved around in 
such a manner that we could not tell what our prospects 
were, but at about two o'clock we reached a place far 
above timber line, — a region of open moors, absolutely 
treeless, — surrounded by bare mountains on every side. 

Our tent was pitched in a ravine near a small stream. 
Immediately after lunch, Peyto and I ascended iooo 
feet on a mountain north of the valley with the pur- 
pose of discovering a pass. From this point we saw 
Mount Hector due south, and the remarkable mountain 
named Mount Molar, nearly due east. Three possible 



X* 



A Difficult Place. 213 



outlets from the valley appeared from our high elevation. 
Peyto set off alone to explore a pass toward the north, 
in the direction of the Pipestone Pass, while I made an 
examination of a notch toward the east. Each proved 
impossible for horses, if not for human beings. The third 
notch lay in the direction of Mount Hector, and together 
we set out to examine it. A walk of about two miles 
across the rolling uplands of this high region brought us 
to the pass. It was very steep, but an old Indian trail 
proved that the pass was available for horses. The trail 
appeared more like those made by the mountain goats 
than by human beings, for it led up to a very rough and 
forbidding cliff, where loose stones and long disuse had 
nearly obliterated the path. We spent some time putting 
the trail in repair, by rolling down tons of loose stones, 
and making everything as secure as possible. 

The next morning was threatening, and gray, watery 
clouds hung only a little above the summit of the lofty 
pass, which was nearly 8000 feet above sea-level. I 
started about an hour before the outfit, as I desired to ob- 
serve the horses climbing the trail. I felt considera- 
ble anxiety as they approached. All my photographic 
plates, the result of many excursions and mountain as- 
cents in a region where the camera had never before 
been used, were placed on one of the horses, for which 
purpose one of the most sure-footed animals had been 
selected. In case of a false step and a roll down the 
mountain side, the results of all this labor would be lost. 

The horses, however, all reached the summit in safety. 



214 



The Canadian Rockies. 



These mountain pack-horses reveal a wonderful agility 
and sagacity in such difficulties as this place presented. 
In fact, the several animals in my pack-train had become 
old friends, for they had been with me all summer. Peyto, 
as packer, always rode in the saddle, for the dignity of 
this office never allows a packer to walk, and besides, from 
their physical elevation on a horse's back they can better 
discern the trail. A venerable Indian steed, long-legged 
and lean, but most useful in fording deep streams, was 
Peyto's saddle-horse. The bell-mare followed next, led 
by a head-rope. The other horses followed in single file, 
and never allowed the sound of the bell to get out of hear- 
ing. There were two horses in the train that were en- 
dowed with an unusual amount of equine intelligence and 
sagacity. The larger of the two was known as the 

"Bay," and 
the other was 
called " Pin- 
to," the latter 
being a name 
given to all 
horses having 
irregular 
white mark- 
ings. These 
animals were 
well propor- 
tioned, with thick necks and broad chests, and, though 
of Indian stock, they probably had some infusion of 




THE BAY." 



Intelligence of Pack Horses. 



215 



Spanish blood in their veins, derived from the conquest 
of Mexico. 

The Pinto was remarkably quick in selecting the best 
routes among fallen timber, or in avoiding hidden dangers, 
but the Bay was far more affectionate and fond of human 
company. In camp, all the horses would frequently leave 
the pasture and visit the tent, where they would stand 
near the fire to get the benefit of the smoke when the flies 
were thick, or nose about in the hope of getting some salt. 
On the trail, it was always very interesting to watch the 
Bay and Pinto. They would unravel a pathway through 
burnt timber in a better manner than their human leaders, 
and would calculate in every case whether it were better 
to jump over a log or to walk around it. But one day I 
was surprised to see the Bay jump over a log which 
measured 3 feet 10 inches above the ground. With a 
heavy, rigid pack this is more of a feat than to clear a 
much greater height with a rider in the saddle. Sometimes 
when the trail was lost we would put the Pinto ahead to 
lead us, and on several occasions he found the trail for us. 
The summit of the pass revealed to us one of those 
lonely places among the high mountains where silence 
appears to reign supreme. We were in an upland vale, 
where the ground was smooth and rolling, and carpeted 
with a short growth of grass and herbs. On either side 
were bare cliffs of limestone, unrelieved by vegetation or 
perpetual snow. Here no birds or insects broke the silence 
of the mountain solitude, no avalanche thundered among 
the mountains, and even the air was calm and made no 



216 The Canadian Rockies. 



sound in the scanty herbage. All was silent as the desert, 
or as the ocean in a perfect calm. The dull tramp of our 
horses, and the tinkling of the bell, were the only sounds 
that interrupted the death-like quiet of the place. It is 
said that such places soon drive the lost traveller to in- 
sanity, but in company with others these lonely passes 
afford a delightful contrast to the life and motion and 
sound of lower altitudes. 

As we advanced and commenced to descend, the north 
side of Mount Hector began to appear. It was completely 
covered with a great ice sheet and snow fields. Mount 
Hector is a little more than 11,000 feet in altitude, and 
gives a good example of how the exposure to the sun 
affects the size of glaciers in these mountains. On the 
south and west sides of Mount Hector there is almost no 
snow, while the opposite slopes are flooded by a broad 
glacier many miles in area, and brilliant in a covering of 
perpetual snow. 

At the tree line a trail appeared, and led us in rapid 
descent to the valley. The scenery on all sides was 
magnificent. Many waterfalls came dashing down from 
the melting glaciers of Mount Hector and joined a torrent 
in the valley bottom. The great cliffs about us, and the 
lofty mountains, visible here and there through avenues in 
the giant forest trees, were illumined by a brilliant sun, 
ever now and again breaking through the clouds. About 
eleven o'clock we stopped to have a light lunch, as was our 
custom on all long marches. Peyto loosed the girdle of 
the horses, slipped off the packs, and turned the animals 



Little Pipestone Creek. 217 



into a meadow near by. Meanwhile our cook cut fire- 
wood and made a large pot of tea, which always proved 
the most acceptable drink when a long march had made 
us somewhat weary. These brief rests of about forty 
minutes in the midst of a day's march always proved very 
beneficial to men and horses. 

A long straight valley led us southwards for many 
miles. In every clear pool or stream, trout could be seen 
darting about and seeking hiding-places, though we had 
no time to stop and catch them. At about one o'clock we 
reached the Pipestone Creek and obtained a view of 
Mount Temple and other familiar peaks about fifteen 
miles to the south. 

We camped near the stream in a meadow, not far from 
the Little Pipestone Creek. As the march of this day 
had brought us back to the region covered by the map, we 
had little apprehension of losing our way in the future. 

The next day we followed up the Little Pipestone 
Creek and enjoyed a fine trail through a dense forest. 
We camped near the summit of a pass south of Mount 
Macoun, which I partially ascended after lunch. The 
rugged peak named Mount Douglas lay due east, and 
presented some very large and fine glaciers. 

Our camp was on a little peninsula jutting out into a 
lake, with water of a most brilliant blue color. The sun- 
set colors this evening were heightened by the presence of 
a little smoke in the atmosphere, which gave a deep 
copper color to the western sky, while the placid lake 
appeared vividly blue in the evening light. 



218 The Canadian Rockies. 



The following day, which was the first of September, 
we continued south over a divide and into the valley of 
Baker Creek, which we followed for several hours, and 
then took a branch stream which comes in from the 
east, and finally camped in a high valley. We were now in 
the Sawback Range, where the mountains are peculiarly 
rugged, and the strata thrown up at high angles. The 
weather was giving evidence of an approaching storm, 
and before we had made camp the next day in Johnston's 
Creek, rain began to fall. 

Hitherto the nature of the country since leaving the 
Upper Bow Lake had been such as to render the travel- 
ling very easy and delightful, but from this point on, 
we met with all sorts of difficulties. In the lower part of 
Johnston's Creek, and in the valley of a tributary which 
comes in from the northeast, the trail was covered by 
fallen timber, and our progress was very slow and tedious. 
Moreover, the weather now became very bad, and we 
were caught near the summit of a pass between Baker 
Creek and Forty-Mile Creek in a heavy snow-storm, so 
that the trail was soon obliterated and the surrounding 
mountains could not be seen. Fearing that we might 
lose our bearings altogether, Peyto urged forward the 
horses at a gallop, so that we might get over the pass 
before the snow gained much depth. 

The descent into the valley of Forty-Mile Creek was 
very steep, and we camped among some large trees with 
several inches of snow on the ground. The next day we 
urged our horses on again and followed down the valley 



Mount Edith Pass. 



219 



of Forty-Mile Creek. In some parts of the valley we 
found absolutely the worst travelling I have anywhere 
met with in the Rockies. The horses were compelled to 
make long detours among the dead timber, and the axe 
was frequently required to cut out a passage-way. Fre- 
quent snow showers swept through the valley, and, 
though very beautiful to look at, they kept the under- 
brush covered with damp snow and saturated our clothes 
with water. 

In the afternoon we reached the summit of the Mount 
Edith Pass, and once more caught sight of the Bow 
valley and the flat meadows near Banff. A fine wide 
trail or bridle-path, smooth and hard, led us down toward 
the valley. The contrast to our recent trails was very 
striking. We walked between a broad avenue of trees, 
each one blazed to such an extent that all the bark 
had been removed on one side of the tree, and some 
were practically girdled. This was very different from 
our recent experience where we had only found a small 
insignificant axe-mark on some dead tree, about once in 
every quarter mile, or often none at all during hours of 
progress. 

On the fifth of September we reached Banff late in 
the evening, and found that the valley was free of new 
snow by reason of its lower altitude. We had been out 
for twenty-three days and had covered, in all, about one 
hundred and seventy-five miles. 



CHAPTER XIII. 



HISTORICAL. 



Origin and Rise of the Fur Trade — The Coureurs des Bois and the 
Voyageurs — Perils of the Canoe Voyages — The Hudsoii Bay Compa7iy a?id 
the Northwest Company — Intense Rivalry — Downfall of the Northwest 
Company — Sir Alexander Mackenzie — His Character and Physical En- 
dowments — Cook's Explorations — Mackenzie Starts to Penetrate the 
Rockies — The Peace River — A Ma?-vellous Escape — The Pacific Reached 
by Land — Perns of the Sea and of the Wilderness. 

THE history of the early explorations in the Cana- 
dian Rockies centres about the fur trade. From 
the date of the very earliest settlements in Canada, 
the quest of furs had occupied a position of chief impor- 
tance, to which the pursuits of agriculture, grazing, or 
manufacture had been subordinate. The search for gold, 
which throughout the history of the world has ever been 
one of the most powerful incentives to hardy adv r enture 
and daring exploit, did not at first occupy the attention of 
those who were ready to hazard their lives for the sake of 
possible wealth quickly acquired. 

The unremitting and often ruthless destruction of the 
fur-bearing animals, in the immediate vicinity of the settle- 
ments, caused them to become exceedingly scarce, and at 
length to disappear altogether. But fortunately it was not 

220 



Voyageurs. 



221 



difficult to induce the Indians to bring- their furs from 
more distant regions, until at length even those who lived 
in the most remote parts of Canada became accustomed to 
barter their winter catch at the settlements. 

As the trade gradually became more extensive, there 
sprang up two slightly different classes of men, the 
coureurs des bois, or wood rangers, and the voyageurs, 
each of Canadian birth, but who, by reason of constant 
contact with the Indians and long-continued separation 
from the amenities and refinements of civilized life, came 
at length to have more in common with the rude savages, 
than with the French settlers from whom they were sprung. 
Many of these wilderness wanderers married Indian wives, 
and, moreover, their plastic nature, a result of their 
French extraction, helped them quickly to assume the 
manners and customs of the swarthy children of the 
forest. The voyageurs, like the coureurs des bois, were 
accustomed to take long canoe voyages, under the employ 
of some fur company, or even of private individuals ; some- 
times alone, but more often several banded together, carry- 
ing loads of ammunition, provisions, and tobacco from the 
settlements and returning with their canoes laden down 
with beaver, marten, and other furs collected among the 
Indians. The vast domain of Canada is so completely 
watered by a network of large streams, rivers, and lakes, 
more or less connected, that it is not difficult to make 
canoe voyages in almost any direction throughout the 
length and breadth of this great territory. It is indeed 
possible to start from Montreal and journey by water to 






->->-> 



The Canadian Rockies. 



Hudson Bay, the Arctic Ocean, or the base of the 
Rocky Mountains. 

The voyageurs were a hardy race, possessed of incredi- 
ble physical strength and untiring patience, remarkable for 
an implicit obedience to their superiors, and endowed with 
a happy, careless nature, regardless of the morrow, so long 
as they were well-off to-day. While making their long 
and arduous journeys, the voyageurs would arouse their 
flagging spirits with merriment and laughter, or awaken 
echoes from the wooded shores and rocky cliffs along the 
rivers and lakes, by their characteristic songs, to the accom- 
paniment of the ceaseless and rhythmic movement of their 
paddles. 

How much of romance and poetry filled up the meas- 
ure of their simple lives ! Nature in all its beauty and 
grandeur was ever around them, and nature's people — the 
Indians — were those with whom they most associated. 
They loved all men, and all men loved them, whether 
civilized or barbarian. The stranger among them was 
called Cousin, or Brother, and the great fur barons, the 
partners in the fur companies, on whom they gazed with 
awe and admiration, as they travelled in regal state from 
post to post, and to whom they bore almost the relation of 
serf to feudal lord, they called by their Christian names. 
The melodies which they chanted in unison as they glided 
along quiet rivers, with banks of changing outlines and 
constant variety of forest beauty, would hardly cease as 
they dashed madly down some roaring, snow-white rapid, 
beset with dangerous rocks, where a single false stroke 
would be fatal. For many days continuously they were 



Perils of the Canoe Voyages. 



223 



wont to travel, with short time for sleep, working hour 
after hour at the paddle, or making the toilsome portages, 
when they were accustomed to carry on their backs loads 
of almost incredible weight. Nevertheless, on any oppor- 
tunity for relaxation, they were ever ready for revelry, 
music, and the dance, which they would prolong through- 
out the niodit. 

The usual dress of the voyageur consisted of a coat or 
capote cut from a blanket, a cotton shirt, moccasins, and 
leather or cloth trousers, held in place by a belt of col- 
ored worsted. A hunting knife and tobacco-pouch, the 
latter a most indispensable adjunct to the happiness of 
the voyageur, were suspended from his belt. Sometimes 
they would be absent from the settlements twelve or 
fifteen months, and many never returned from their peril- 
ous trips. Some were drowned while attempting to run 
dangerous rapids. Others were overtaken by the ap- 
proach of winter, or were stopped by ice-bound rivers 
impossible to navigate, and perished miserably from ex- 
posure and starvation. 

Those who returned, however, would be amply re- 
warded by the wealth suddenly acquired from the result 
of their long toil. The dissipation of their gains in the 
course of a few weeks, accompanied by all manner of 
revelry, licentiousness, and mad extravagance, was their 
compensation for long periods of privation. At length, 
their means being exhausted, a longing for the old man- 
ner of life returned, and with renewed hopes they would 
recommence their long journeys into the wilderness. 

The value of the fur trade soon aroused the attention 



224 The Canadian Rockies. 



of a number of wealthy and influential traders, and in 
1670 a charter was granted to Prince Rupert and a com- 
pany of fourteen others, to "the sole trade and com- 
merce' 1 throughout all the regions watered by streams 
flowing into Hudson or James Bay. This region was 
henceforth known as Rupert's Land. In addition to the 
right of trade, the Hudson Bay Company had the author- 
ity of government and the dispensation of justice through- 
out this vast territory. 

During the winter of 1783-4, however, a number of 
Canadian merchants, previously engaged in the fur trade, 
joined their several interests, and formed a coalition which 
assumed the name of the Northwest Company. 

This organization, governed, as it was, by different 
principles from that of the Hudson Bay Company, soon 
became a powerful rival. The younger men in the North- 
west Company were fired with ambition and assured of an 
adequate reward for their services. While for many years 
their older rivals had slumbered, content with the limits 
of their territory, the more enterprising Northwest Com- 
pany, with infinite toil and danger, extended their posts 
throughout the interior and western parts of Canada, and 
opened up a new and hitherto undeveloped country. 
Another great advantage that the Northwest Company 
had over the Hudson Bay Company resulted from their 
employment of the suave and plastic voyageurs, in whose 
blood the French quality of ready adaptability to sur- 
roundings was especially well shown in their dealings with 
the Indians, with whom they had the greatest influence. 



Rivalry of Hudson Bay Company. 225 



On the other hand, the greater part of the Hudson 
Bay canoe men were imported from the Orkney Islands. 
What with their obstinate, unbending nature, and mental 
sluggishness, these men presented a most unfavorable 
contrast to the genial voyageurs. 

The establishment of the Northwest Company aroused 
the utmost jealousy and animosity of the Hudson Bay 
Company. While the various parties were engaged in 
dealings with the Indians, there not infrequently oc- 
curred open conflicts, bloodshed, and murder among the 
agents, in their attempts to outwit and circumvent one 
another. 

At length the partners of the Northwest Company in 
the interior of Canada, realizing that all the profits were 
more than balanced by their endless and painful contest, 
determined to open a negotiation with their rivals, and 
for this purpose sent two delegates to London with full 
authority to close whatever agreement would be for the 
best interests of the company. Just at this time the 
directors of the two companies were about to sign a con- 
tract most favorable to the Northwest Company. Un- 
fortunately, on the eve of this event, the two delegates 
from Canada made their appearance, and instead of com- 
municating at once with their own directors, they showed 
their papers to the officers of the Hudson Bay Company. 
The Hudson Bay Company took advantage of the oppor- 
tunity, and, instead of receiving terms from the other, now 
proceeded to dictate them. The outcome of this unfor- 
tunate manoeuvre was, that the Northwest Company 



15 



226 The Canadian Rockies. 



became merged in that of the Hudson Bay Company, 
together with the privileges and trade of all of the vast 
territory which the Northwest Company had developed 
by superior enterprise. Thus, in 1821, the Northwest 
Company ended its career. 

The Hudson Bay Company's territory was at length, 
from time to time, encroached upon as the colonies 
of British Columbia, Vancouver's Island, and Mani- 
toba were established. Finally, in 1869, the Company 
ceded all their governmental and territorial rights to the 
Dominion, receiving ^300,000 in compensation. Their 
forts or posts, together with a small amount of land in 
the immediate vicinity, were reserved by them. The 
Hudson Bay Company still exists as a commercial organ- 
ization, carrying on a thriving business in many of the 
principal cities and towns of Canada. 

So much by way of introduction to the exploration of 
the Canadian Rockies. 

Let us now turn to Sir Alexander Mackenzie, the 
hardy explorer who first crossed the continent of North 
America, after penetrating the grim and inhospitable array 
of mountains which had hitherto presented an impassable 
barrier to all further westward progress. 

Mackenzie was born in the northern part of Scotland, 
in the picturesque and historic town of Inverness. The 
year of his birth is usually set down as 1755. In his 
youth he emigrated to Canada, and found employment 
as a clerk to one of the partners in the great Northwest 
Fur Company. Later on he went to Fort Chipewyan, 



Mackenzie's Character. 227 



on Lake Athabasca, and became one of the principal part- 
ners in the Northwest Company. 

Mackenzie was endowed by nature with a powerful 
physique and a strong constitution, which enabled him 
to undergo the unusual hardships of his explorations in 
the wilderness. Beside these physical qualifications, he 
was inspired with the ambition necessary to the forma- 
tion of great plans, and with an enterprising spirit which 
impelled him to carry them through to a successful ter- 
mination. Great versatility of idea enabled him to 
oppose every novel and sudden danger with new plans, 
while a rugged perseverance, indomitable patience, and 
a boldness often bordering on recklessness, carried him 
through all manner of physical and material obstacles. 
In his dealings with the Indians and his own followers, 
he showed an unusual tact, a quality which more than 
any other contributed to his success. Nothing so quickly 
saps the strength and tries the courage of the explorer, 
be he ever so bold and persevering, as cowardice and 
unwillingness among his followers. 

Nevertheless, Mackenzie was not a scientific explorer. 
Outside of the manners and customs of the various tribes 
with which he came in contact, only the most patent and 
striking phenomena of the great nature-world impressed 
him. No better idea of his views on this subject could 
be obtained than from a passage in the preface to his 
Voyages : 

" I could not stop," says Mackenzie, "to dig into the 
earth, over whose surface I was compelled to pass with 



228 The Canadian Rockies. 



rapid steps ; nor could I turn aside to collect the plants 
which nature might have scattered on the way, when my 
thoughts were anxiously employed in making provision 
for the day that was passing over me. I had to encounter 
perils by land and perils by water ; to watch the savage 
who was our guide, or to guard against those of his tribe 
who might meditate our destruction. I had, also, the pas- 
sions and fears of others to control and subdue. To-day, 
I had to assuage the rising discontents, and on the mor- 
row, to cheer the fainting spirits of the people who ac- 
companied me. The toil of our navigation was incessant, 
and oftentimes extreme ; and, in our progress overland, 
we had no protection from the seventy of the elements, 
and possessed no accommodations or conveniences but 
such as could be contained in the burden on our shoulders, 
which aggravated the toils of our march, and added to the 
wearisomeness of our way. 

" Though the events which compose my journals may 
have little in themselves to strike the imagination of those 
who love to be astonished, or to gratify the curiosity of 
such as are enamoured of romantic adventures ; neverthe- 
less, when it is considered that I explored those waters 
which had never before borne any other vessel than the 
canoe of the savage ; and traversed those deserts where 
an European had never before presented himself to the 
eye of its swarthy natives ; when to these considerations 
are added the important objects which were pursued, with 
the dangers that were encountered, and the difficulties 
that were surmounted to attain them, this work will, I 



Previous Explorations. 



229 



flatter myself, be found to excite an interest and conciliate 
regard in the minds of those who peruse it." 

Thus Mackenzie writes in the preface to his journal. 
Nevertheless, there is no evidence throughout his works 
that he was learned or even interested in the sciences 
of botany or geology. The scientific mind becomes 
so much absorbed in the search for information, when 
surrounded by the infinite variety of nature's pro- 
ductions, especially in regions hitherto unknown, that 
mere inconvenience, physical suffering, or imminent peril 
is incapable of withdrawing the attention from the 
chosen objects of pursuit. Whoever reads Humboldt's 
narrative of travels in the equinoctial regions of South 
America, especially that part which pertains to his voyage 
on the Orinoco, will appreciate the truth of this. The 
stifling, humid heat of a fever-laden atmosphere, the ever 
present danger of sudden death from venomous serpents, 
ferocious alligators, or the stealthy jaguar, the very air 
itself darkened by innumerable swarms of mosquitoes and 
stinging insects, with changing varieties appearing at 
every hour of the day and night, were unable to force this 
great naturalist to resign his work. 

Unfortunately, the explorer and the naturalist are not 
often combined in one person, notwithstanding that the fact 
of being one, implies a tendency toward becoming the other. 

Mackenzie mentions one or two attempts previous to 
1792 to cross the Rocky Mountains. No record of these 
expeditions is available, a circumstance that implies their 
termination in failure or disaster. 



230 The Canadian Rockies. 



Up to this time the Rocky Mountains, with their awful 
array of saw-edged peaks covered with a dazzling white 
mantle of perpetual snow, had stood as the western limit 
of overland exploration, beyond which no European had 
ever passed. The Pacific Coast had already been explored 
by Captain Cook in 1778, and a few years later so accu- 
rately charted by Vancouver, that his work is still 
standard among navigators. The eastern border of the 
Rockies was vaguely located, but between these narrow 
strips there remained a vast region, four hundred miles 
wide, extending to the Arctic Ocean, about which little or 
nothing was known. 

As in the case of other unexplored regions, there were 
vague and conflicting rumors among the Indians concern- 
ing the dangers of these upland fastnesses, accounts of 
hostile tribes, men partly human, partly animal in form 
and nature, and colossal beasts, endowed with fabulous 
strength and agility, from which escape was next to im- 
possible. These Indian tales, though in great part the 
product of imagination or superstition, unfortunately did 
but partial justice to the reality, for although the reported 
dangers and terrors were mythical, there were real and 
material obstacles in the form of mountain ranges bewil- 
dering in their endless extent and complexity, between 
which were valleys blocked by fallen timber, and torrential 
streams rendered unnavigable by roaring rapids or gloomy 
canyons of awful depth. In fact, this region was one of 
the most difficult to penetrate and explore that the world 
could offer at that time. 



The Peace River. 



231 



Nevertheless, Mackenzie now turned his attention 
toward this region, resolved to traverse and explore it till 
he should reach the Pacific. Moreover, he was confident 
of success, perhaps realizing his many qualifications for 
such an enterprise, and certainly encouraged by the 
remembrance of the difficulties he had overcome during 
his former voyage, in 1789, to the mouth of that great 
river which bears his name. 

Leaving Fort Chipewyan on Lake Athabasca, he soon 
reached that great waterway, the Peace River, and with 
several canoes began to stem the moderate current of this 
stream, which is at this point about one fourth o # f a mile 
in width and quite deep. 

The origin of names is always interesting, and that of 
the Peace River is said to be derived from a circumstance 
of Indian history. The tribe of Indians called the Knis- 
teneux, who originally inhabited the Atlantic seaboard 
and the St. Lawrence valley, migrated in a northwesterly 
direction. In the course of this tribal movement, after 
reaching the centre of the continent, they at length came 
in contact with the Beaver Indians, and a neighboring 
tribe called the Slaves, at a point some fifty leagues due 
south from Lake Athabasca. The Knisteneux drove 
these tribes from their lands, the Slave Indians moving 
northward down the Slave River to Great Slave Lake, 
from which circumstance the lake derives its name. The 
term Slave was not applied to indicate servitude, but by 
way of reproach on their unusual barbarity and destitu- 
tion. The Beaver Indians moved in another direction, 



-3 2 The Canadian Rockies. 



more to the westward, and on the ratification of peace 
between them and the Knisteneux, the Peace River was 
assigned as the boundary between them. 

After proceeding for three weeks up the Peace River, 
Mackenzie camped for the winter at a point previously 
decided on, and early in the following spring recom- 
menced his ''voyage," as these inland water journeys 
are called. Mackenzie was accompanied by Alexander 
Mackay, one of the officers of the Northwest Company. 
The crew consisted of six Canadian voyageurs, and the 
party was completed by two Indians, who, it was in- 
tended, should act as interpreters and hunters. A single 
canoe, twenty-five feet long and not quite five feet in ex- 
treme breadth, served to carry the entire party, in addi- 
tion to three thousand pounds of baggage and provisions. 

It would be entirely aside from our purpose to narrate 
in detail the many interesting adventures and narrow 
escapes of the party. A single incident will serve to 
throw some light on the perils and toils that were en- 
countered. At the time of the incident in question, they 
had crossed the watershed by following the south branch 
of the Peace River to its source, and were now descend- 
ing a mad torrent which runs westward, and is tributary 
to the Fraser River, which latter Mackenzie mistook for 
the Columbia. 

It was on the morning of the 13th of June, and the 
canoe had proceeded but a short distance, when it 
struck, and, turning sidewise, broke on a stone. Mac- 
kenzie and all the men jumped into the water at once, 



A Marvellous Escape. 



*33 



and endeavored to stop the canoe and turn it round. But 
almost immediately she was swept into deeper water, 
where it became necessary for everybody to scramble 
aboard with the greatest celerity. In this uncertain con- 
test, one of the men was left in mid-stream to effect a 
passage to shore in the best way he could. 

" We had hardly regained our situations," writes Mac- 
kenzie, "when we drove against a rock, which shattered 
the stern of the canoe in such a manner that it held only 
by the gunwales, so that the steersman could no longer 
keep his place. The violence of this stroke drove us to 
the opposite side of the river, which is but narrow, when 
the bow met with the same fate as the stern. At this 
moment the foreman seized on some branches of a small 
tree, in the hope of bringing up the canoe, but such was 
their elasticity that, in a manner not easily described, he 
was jerked on shore in an instant, and with a degree of 
violence that threatened his destruction. But we had no 
time to turn from our own situation to inquire what had 
befallen him ; for, in a few moments, we came across a 
cascade, which broke several large holes in the bottom of 
the canoe, and started all the bars, except one behind the 
scooping seat. If this accident, however, had not hap- 
pened, the vessel must have been irretrievably overset. 
The wreck becoming flat on the water, we all jumped out, 
while the steersman, who had been compelled to abandon 
his place, and had not recovered from his fright, called 
out to his companions to save themselves. My peremp- 
tory commands superseded the effects of his fear, and 



234 The Canadian Rockies. 



they all held fast to the wreck ; to which fortunate resolu- 
tion we owed our safety, as we should otherwise have 
been dashed against the rocks by the force of the water, 
or driven over the cascades. In this condition we were 
forced several hundred yards, and every yard on the verge 
of destruction ; but, at length, we most fortunately arrived 
in shallow water and a small eddy, where we were enabled 
to make a stand, from the weight of the canoe resting on 
the stones, rather than from any exertions of our ex- 
hausted strength. For, though our efforts were short, 
they were pushed to the utmost, as life or death depended 
on them." 

At this juncture, the Indians, instead of making any 
effort to assist the others, sat down and shed tears, though 
it is considered a mortal disgrace among Indians to weep 
except when intoxicated. 

On the 2 2d of July, after encountering countless trials 
and the dangers of savage foes, no less than the obstacles 
of nature, Mackenzie reached an arm of the sea in latitude 
5 2 20' 48 ", where on a rocky cliff he inscribed this brief 
legend in vermilion : " Alexander Mackenzie from Canada 
by land, the 2 2d of July, one thousand seven hundred 
and ninety-three." 

The next day, when alone, he was nearly murdered by 
a band of Indians, but escaped by his agility and by a 
fortunate momentary hesitation on the part of the savages. 

Mackenzie's return journey was over the same route 
that he had first taken, and required but four weeks to 
traverse the mountains. 



Perils of the Wilderness. 



235 



In reading a detailed account of this voyage, one is 
impressed with the many perils encountered, no less than 
the ofttimes remarkable and fortunate escapes from them. 
It is so with the journals of nearly all great travellers. 
They recount an endless succession of dangers and adven- 
tures by sea and land, from which, though often in the 
very jaws of death by reason of the operations of nature 
and the elements, the traveller ever eventually escapes, 
apparently in defiance of the laws of chance and proba- 
bility. But we must bear in mind the great host of trav- 
ellers who have never returned, and whose unfinished 
journals are lost forever to mankind. 

The remotest corners of the earth have been mute 
witnesses to these tragedies. The inhospitable, rock- 
bound shores of lonely islands, or low-lying sands of coral 
reefs, where the ceaseless ocean billows thunder in ever- 
lasting surf, have beheld the expiring struggles of many a 
bold navigator. The colossal bergs and crushing ice of 
polar seas ; hurricanes and typhoons in tropic latitudes ; 
the horrors of fire at sea ; the broad wastes of continents ; 
trackless desert sands, where, under a scorching sun, 
objects on the distant horizon dance in the waving air, 
and portray mirage pictures of lakes and streams to the 
thirsty traveller ; deep, cool forests bewildering in the 
endless maze of trees ; piercing winter storms, with cut- 
ting winds and driving snows ; the blood-thirsty pack of 
famishing wolves ; rivers, dangerous to navigate, with im- 
petuous current swirling and roaring in fearful rapids, — 
all these have their records of death and disaster. 



236 



The Canadian Rockies. 



But of them all, man has ever been the worst 
destroyer. The hostile savage, the mutinous crew, or 
treacherous guide have proved far more cruel, revenge- 
ful, and cunningly destructive than the catastrophes of 
nature, whose mute, dead forces act out their laws in 
accordance with the great plan of the universe, unguided 
by motives of hate, and envy, and the wicked devices of 
human passions. 



ssrp 





CHAPTER XIV. 



HISTORICAL. 



Captain Cook's Exploratio?is — The American Fur Company — First 
Exploration of the Fraser River — Expedition of Ross Cox — Cannibalism 
— Simplicity of a Voyageur — Sir George Simpson's Journey — Discovery 
of Gold in iSjS — The Falliser Expedition — Dr. Hector's Adventures — 
Milton and Cheadle — Growth of the Dominion — Railroad Surveys — 
Construction of the Railroad — Historical Feriods — Future Popularity 
vf the Canadian Rockies. 

THE early explorations of Captain Cook had an 
almost immediate effect on the development of 
the fur trade. Upon the publication of that 
wonderful book, Cooks Voyages round the World, where- 
in were shown the great value and quantity of furs 
obtainable along the northwest coast of America, a con- 
siderable number of ships were fitted out for the purpose 
of carrying on this trade. Three years after, or in 1792, 
there were twenty American vessels along the Pacific 
Coast, from California northward to Alaska, collecting 
furs, especially that of the sea otter, from the natives. 

Of these " canoes, large as islands, and filled with white 
men," Mackenzie had heard many times from the natives 
met with on his overland journey across the Rocky Moun- 
tains. Mackenzie's journal was not published till 1801. 

237 



238 The Canadian Rockies. 



In this book, however, he outlines a plan to perfect a well 
regulated trade by means of an overland route, with posts 
at intervals along the line, and a well established terminus 
on the Pacific Coast. Should this plan be carried out, he 
predicted that the Canadians would obtain control of the 
fur trade of the entire northern part of North America, 
and that the Americans would be compelled to relinquish 
their irregular trade. 

While the agents of the American Fur Company, a 
rival organization controlled and managed by Mr. John 
Jacob Astor, were preparing to extend their limits north- 
wards from their headquarters at the mouth of the Colum- 
bia, the Northwest Company was pushing southward 
through British Columbia, and had already established a 
colony called New Caledonia near the headquarters of 
the Fraser River. Thus Mr. Astor's scheme of gaining" 
control of the head waters of the Columbia River was 
anticipated. The war of 181 2 completely frustrated his 
plans, when the post of Astoria fell temporarily into the 
hands of the English. 

A very good idea of the hardships of life at one of 
these western posts, together with a brief account of the 
first exploration of the Fraser River, may be obtained 
from a letter written in 1809 by Jules Quesnel to a friend 
in Montreal. The letter is dated New Caledonia, May 
1 st, 1809, and after a few remarks on other matters, Mr. 
Quesnel goes on to say : " There are places in the north 
where, notwithstanding the disadvantages of the country 
in general, it is possible sometimes to enjoy one's self ; 
but here nothing is to be found but hardship and loneli- 



Exploration of the Fraser River. 239 



ness. Far away from every one, we do not have the 
pleasure of getting news from the other places. We live 
entirely upon salmon dried in the sun by the Indians, who 
also use the same food, for there are no animals, and we 
would often be without shoes did we not procure leather 
from the Peace River. 

" I must now tell you that I went exploring this sum- 
mer with Messrs. Simon Fraser and John Stuart, whom 
you have met, I believe. We were accompanied by twelve 
men, and with three canoes went down the river, that 
until now was thought to be the Columbia. Soon finding 
the river unnavigable, we left our canoes and continued 
on foot through awful mountains, which we never could 
have passed had we not been helped by the Indians, who 
received us well. After having passed all those bad 
places, not without much hardship, as you may imagine, 
we found the river once more navigable, and got into 
wooden canoes and continued our journey more comfort- 
ably as far as the mouth of this river in the Pacific Ocean. 
Once there, as we prepared to go farther, the Indians of 
that place, who were numerous, opposed our passage, and 
we were very fortunate in being able to withdraw without 
being in the necessity of killing or being killed. We were 
well received by all the other Indians on our way back, 
and we all reached our New Caledonia in good health. 
The mouth of this river is in latitude 49 , nearly 3 north 
of the real Columbia. This trip procured no advantage to 
the company, and will never be of any, as the river is not 
navigable. But our aim in making the trip was attained, 
so that we cannot blame ourselves in any manner." 



240 The Canadian Rockies. 



This letter throws some light on the history of this 
period, and shows whence the names of certain rivers and 
lakes of British Columbia were derived. It would be in 
place here to say that when Mackenzie first came to the 
Fraser River, after crossing the watershed from the Peace 
River, he entertained the idea that he was on the Columbia. 

A few years later, the agents of the fur companies 
had established certain routes and passages across the 
mountains, which they were accustomed to follow more 
or less regularly in their annual or semi-annual journeys. 
One of the largest of these early parties to traverse the 
Rockies was under the management of Mr. Ross Cox, 
who was returning from Astoria in the year 1817. There 
were, in all, eighty-six persons in his party, representing 
many nationalities outside of the various Indians and 
some Sandwich Islanders. 

A striking incident in connection with this expedition 
illustrates the hazard and danger which at all times at- 
tended these journeys through the wilderness. The party 
had pursued their way up the Columbia River, and were 
now on the point of leaving their canoes and proceeding on 
foot up the course of the Canoe River, a stream that flows 
southward and enters the Columbia not far from the 
Athabasca Pass. The indescribable toil of their passage 
up the Columbia, and the many laborious portages, had 
sapped the strength of the men and rendered some of 
them wellnigh helpless. Under these circumstances, it 
seemed best that some of the weakest should not attempt 
to pursue their journey farther, but should return down 



A Terrible Adventure. 



241 



the Columbia. There were seven in this party, of whom 
only two were able to work, but it was hoped that the 
favorable current would carry them rapidly towards Spo- 
kane, where there was a post established. An air of fore- 
boding and melancholy settled upon some of those who 
were about to depart, and some prophesied that they 
would never again see Canada, a prediction that proved 
only too true. In Ross Cox's Adventures on the Colitrn- 
bia River the record of their disastrous return is thus 
vividly related : 

" On leaving the Rocky Mountains, they drove rap- 
idly down the current until they arrived at the Upper 
Dalles, or narrows, where they were obliged to disem- 
bark. A cod-line was made fast to the stern of the 
canoe, while two men with poles preceded it along the 
banks to keep it from striking against the rocks. It had 
not descended more than half the distance, when it was 
caught in a strong whirlpool, and the line snapped. The 
canoe for a moment disappeared in the vortex, on emer- 
ging from which it was carried by the irresistible force of 
the current to the opposite side, and dashed to pieces 
against the rocks. They had not had the prudence to 
take out either their blankets or a small quantity of pro- 
visions, which were, of course, all lost. Here, then, the 
poor fellows found themselves, deprived of all the neces- 
saries of life, and at a period of the year in which it was 
impossible to procure any wild fruit or roots. To return 
to the mountains was impossible, and their only chance 
of preservation was to proceed downwards, and to keep 



16 



242 The Canadian Rockies. 



as near the banks of the river as circumstances would 
permit. The continual rising of the water had com- 
pletely inundated the beach, in consequence of which 
they were compelled to force their way through an almost 
impervious forest, the ground of which was covered with 
a strong growth of prickly underwood. Their only nour- 
ishment was water, owing to which, and their weakness 
from fatigue and ill-health, their progress was necessarily 
slow. On the third day poor Macon died, and his sur- 
viving comrades, though unconscious how soon they 
might be called to follow him, determined to keep off the 
fatal moment as long as possible. They therefore divided 
his remains in equal parts between them, on which they 
subsisted for some days. From the swollen state of their 
feet their daily progress did not exceed two or three 
miles. Holmes, the tailor, shortly followed Macon, and 
they continued for some time longer to sustain life on his 
emaciated body. It would be a painful repetition to 
detail the individual death of each man. Suffice it to 
say that, in a little time, of the seven men, two only, 
named La Pierre and Dubois, remained alive. La Pierre 
was subsequently found on the borders of the upper lake 
of the Columbia by two Indians who were coasting it in 
a canoe. They took him on board, and brought him to 
the Kettle Falls, whence he was conducted to Spo- 
kane House." 

" He stated that after the death of the fifth man of the 
party, Dubois and he continued for some days at the spot 
where he had ended his sufferings, and, on quitting it, 



Cannibalism. 



243 



they loaded themselves with as much of his flesh as they 
could carry ; that with this they succeeded in reaching 
the upper lake, round the shores of which they wandered 
for some time in vain, in search of Indians ; that their 
horrid food at length became exhausted, and they were 
again reduced to the prospect of starvation ; that on the 
second night after their last meal, he (La Pierre) ob- 
served something suspicious in the conduct of Dubois, 
which induced him to be on his guard ; and that shortly 
after they had lain down for the night, and while he 
feigned sleep, he observed Dubois cautiously opening his 
clasp knife, with which he sprang on him, and inflicted 
on his hand the blow that was evidently intended for his 
neck. A silent and desperate conflict followed, in which, 
after severe struggling, La Pierre succeeded in wresting 
the knife from his antagonist, and, having no other re- 
source left, he was obliged in self-defence to cut Dubois's 
throat ; and that a few days afterwards he was discovered 
by the Indians as before mentioned. Thus far nothing 
at first appeared to impugn the veracity of his statement ; 
but some other natives subsequently found the remains of 
two of the party near those of Dubois, mangled in such 
a manner as to induce them to think that they had been 
murdered ; and as La Pierre's story was by no means 
consistent in many of its details, the proprietors judged it 
advisable to transmit him to Canada for trial. Only one 
Indian attended; but as the testimony against him was 
merely circumstantial, and was unsupported by corrobora- 
ting evidence, he was acquitted." 



244 The Canadian Rockies. 



Meanwhile the greater part of this expedition contin- 
ued their way through the mountains by the Athabasca 
Pass. Here, when surrounded by all the glory and 
grandeur of lofty mountains clad in eternal snow and 
icy glaciers, and amid the frequent crash and roar of 
descending avalanches, one of the voyageurs exclaimed, 
after a long period of silent wonder and admiration — " I '11 
take my oath, my dear friends, that God Almighty never 
made such a place." 

On the summit of the Athabasca Pass they were on the 
Atlantic side of the watershed, and here let us take leave 
of them while they pursue their toilsome journey across 
the great plains of Canada to the eastern side of the 
continent. 

All of these early expeditions were undertaken in the 
interests of the fur trade, and carried out by the agents 
of the various fur companies, except for occasional bands 
of emigrants on their way to the Pacific Coast, the accounts 
of whose journeys are only referred to by later writers in 
a vague and uncertain manner. 

The expedition in 1841 of Sir George Simpson, how- 
ever, to which reference has been made in a previous 
chapter, is in many respects different from all the others. 
The rapidity of his movements, the great number of his 
horses, and the ease and even luxury of his camp life indi- 
cate the tourist and traveller, rather than the scientist, the 
hardy explorer, or the daring seeker after wealth in the 
wilderness. His narrative is the first published account 
of the travels of any white man in that part of the moun- 



Discovery of Gold. 245 



tains now traversed by the Canadian Pacific Road, though 
he mentions a party of emigrants which immediately 
preceded him in this part of his journey. The rapidity 
with which Sir George Simpson was wont to travel may 
be appreciated from the fact that he crossed the entire 
continent of North America in its widest part, over a 
route five thousand miles in length, in twelve weeks of 
actual travelling. The great central plains were crossed 
with carts, and the mountainous parts of the country 
with horses and pack-trains. 

In 1858, gold was discovered on the upper waters of 
the Fraser River, and a great horde of prospectors and 
miners, together with the accompanying hangers-on, 
including all manner of desperate characters, came rushing 
toward the gold-fields, from various parts of Canada and 
the United States. This year may be considered as 
marking the birth of a new enterprise and the compara- 
tive decline of the fur trade ever after. 

About this time, or, more precisely, in 1857, Her 
Majesty's Government set an expedition on foot, the 
object of which was to examine the route of travel be- 
tween eastern and western Canada, and to find out if this 
route could be shortened, or in any other manner im- 
proved upon. Moreover, the expedition was to investi- 
gate the large belt of country, hitherto practically unknown, 
which lies east of the Rocky Mountains and between the 
United States boundary and the North Saskatchewan 
River. The third object of this expedition was to find a 
pass, or passes, available for horses across the Rocky 



246 The Canadian Rockies. 



Mountains south of the Athabasca Pass, but still in British 
territory. 

As this was an excellent opportunity for the advance- 
ment of science without involving great additional 
expense, four scientists, Lieut. Blackiston, Dr. Hector, 
Mr. Sullivan, and M. Bourgeau, were attached to the 
expedition. The party were under the control and 
management of Captain John Palliser. 

The third object of this expedition is the only one 
that concerns the history of explorations in the Canadian 
Rockies. In their search for passes, Captain Palliser and 
Dr. Hector met with many interesting adventures, of 
which it is, of course, impossible to give more than the 
merest outline, as the detailed account of their journeys 
fills several large volumes. In August, 1858, Captain 
Palliser entered the mountains by following the Bow 
River, or south branch of the Saskatchewan. He then 
followed a river which comes in from the south, and 
which he named the Kananaskis, after an Indian, concern- 
ing whom there is a legend of his wonderful recovery from 
the blow of an axe, which merely stunned instead of 
killing him outright. 

When they approached the summit of the pass, a lake 
about four miles long was discovered, round the borders 
of which they had the utmost difficulty in pursuing their 
way on account of the burnt timber, in which the horses 
floundered about desperately. One of the animals, wiser 
than his generation, plunged into the lake before he 
could be caught and proceeded to swim across. Unfor- 



The Palliser Expedition. 



247 



tunately this animal was packed with their only luxuries, 
their tea, sugar, and blankets. 

On the very summit of the pass is a small lake some 
half an acre in extent, which overflows toward the Pacific, 
and such was the disposition of the drainage at this point 
that while their tea-kettle was supplied from the lake, 
their elk meat was boiling in water from the sources of 
the Saskatchewan. 

A few days later, Captain Palliser made a lone moun- 
tain ascent near one of the Columbia lakes, but was 
caught by night in a fearful thunder-storm so that he 
could not reach camp till next day. His descent through 
the forests was aided by the frequent and brilliant flashes 
of lightning. 

A little later they met with a large band of Kootanie 
Indians, who, though very destitute and miserable in 
every other way, were very rich in horses. Captain Pal- 
liser exchanged his jaded nags for others in better condi- 
tion, and despairing of pursuing his way farther, as the 
Indians were at war and would not act as guides, he 
started, on the first of September, to return across the 
mountains, and reached Edmonton in three weeks. 

In the meantime Dr. Hector made a branch expedi- 
tion which has some incidents of interest in connection 
with it. He was accompanied at first by the indefatiga- 
ble botanist, M. Bourgeau, and by three Red River men, 
besides a Stoney Indian, who acted as guide and hunter 
for the party. Eight horses sufficed to carry their instru- 
ments and necessary baggage, as it was not considered 



24$ The Canadian Rockies. 



necessary to take much provision in those parts of the 
mountains which he intended to visit. 

Some reference has already been made to Dr. Hec- 
tor's experiences in the vicinity of Banff, and we shall 
only give one or two of the more interesting details of 
his later travels. He left the Bow River at the Little 
Vermilion Creek, and followed this stream over the Ver- 
milion Pass. The name of this pass is derived from the 
Vermilion Plain, a place where the ferruginous shales 
have washed down and formed a yellow ochre. This 
material the Indians subject to fire, and thus convert it 
into a red pigment, or vermilion. 

Perhaps the most interesting detail of Dr. Hector's 
trip is that which occurred on the Beaverfoot River, at 
its junction with the Kicking Horse River. The party 
had reached the place by following down the Vermilion 
River till it joins the Kootanie, thence up the Kootanie 
to its source, and down the Beaverfoot. Here, at a place 
about three miles from where the little railroad station 
known as Leanchoil now stands, Dr. Hector met with 
an accident which gave the name to the Kicking Horse 
River and Pass. A few yards below the place, where the 
Beaverfoot River joins the Kicking Horse, there is a fine 
waterfall about forty feet high, and just above this, one of 
Hector's horses plunged into the stream to escape the 
fallen timber. They had great difficulty in getting the 
animal out of the water, as the banks were very steep. 
Meanwhile, Hector's own horse strayed off, and in at- 
tempting to catch it the horse kicked him in the chest, 



The Kicking Horse River. 



249 



fortunately when so near that he did not receive the full 
force of the blow. Nevertheless, the kick knocked Hec- 
tor down and 
rendered him 
senseless for 
some time. 
This was the 
more unfortu- 
nate, as they 
were out of 
food, and had 
seen no sign 
of game in the 
vicinity. His 
men ever after 
called the river 
the Kicking 
Horse, a name 
that has re- 
mained to this 
day despite its 
lack of eupho- 
ny. 

To the 
transcontinen- 
tal traveller, 

one of the most beautiful and inspiring points along the en- 
tire railroad is the descent of the Kicking Horse Pass from 
the station of Hector to Field. Here, in a distance of 




FALLS OF LEANCHOIL. 



250 The Canadian Rockies. 



eight miles, the track descends iooo feet, in many a curve 
and changing grade, surrounded by the towering cliffs of 
Mount Stephen and Cathedral Peak, while the rich for- 
ests of the valley far below are most beautiful in swell- 
ing slopes of dark green. Certainly, whoever has ridden 
down this long descent at breakneck speed, on a small 
hand-car, or railway velocipede, while the alternating 
rock cuts, high embankments, and trestles or bridges of 
dizzy height fly by in rapid succession, must feel at the 
same time a grand conception of the glories of nature 
and the triumphs of man. In striking contrast to this 
luxury of transportation was the old-time method of trav- 
elling through these mountains. The roaring stream 
which the railroad follows and tries in vain to descend in 
equally rapid slope is now one of the most attractive 
features of the scenery of the pass. 

When Dr. Hector first came through this pass he had 
an adventure with one of his horses on this stream. They 
were climbing up the rocky banks of the torrent when the 
incident occurred. The horses had much difficulty in get- 
ting up, and in Hector's own words, " One, an old gray, that 
was always more clumsy than the others, lost his balance 
in passing along a ledge, which overhung a precipitous 
slope about 150 feet in height, and down he went, luckily 
catching sometimes on the trees ; at last he came to a 
temporary pause by falling right on his back, the pack 
acting as a fender. However, in his endeavors to get up, 
he started down hill again, and at last slid on a dead tree 
that stuck out at right angles to the slope, balancing him- 



Short Rations. 



251 



self with his legs dangling on either side of the trunk of 
the tree in a most comical manner. It was only by mak- 
ing a round of a mile that we succeeded in getting him 
back, all battered and bruised, to the rest of the horses." 

That night they camped at one of the lakes on the 
summit of the pass, but were wellnigh famished. A 
single grouse boiled with some ends of candles, and odd 
bits of grease, served as a supper to the five hungry men. 

The next day they proceeded down the east slope and 
came to a river that the Indian recognized as the Bow. 
About mid-day the Stoney Indian had the good fortune to 
shoot a moose, the only thing that saved the life of the 
old gray that had fallen down the rocky banks of the 
Kicking Horse River, for he was appointed to die, and 
serve as food if no game were killed that day. 

Here we shall take leave of Dr. Hector and the Pal- 
liser expedition, and only briefly say that Hector followed 
the Bow to its source and thence down the Little Fork to 
the Saskatchewan and so out of the mountains. The next 
year Dr. Hector again followed up the Bow River and 
Pipestone River to the Saskatchewan, and thence over the 
Howse Pass to the Columbia, where he found it impossible 
to travel either west or northwest, and was forced to pro- 
ceed southward to the boundary. 

The main objects of the Palliser expedition were in a 
great measure accomplished, though the Selkirk Range of 
mountains was not penetrated by them, and no passes 
discovered through this formidable barrier. The vast 
amount of useful scientific material collected by the mem- 



2^2 The Canadian Rockies. 



bers of this expedition was published in London by the 
British Government, but it is now, unfortunately, so 
rare as to be practically inaccessible to the general 
reader. 

The account of an expedition across the Rockies in 
1862, by Viscount Milton and Dr. Cheadle, is perhaps the 
most interesting yet published. It abounds in thrilling 
details of unusual adventures, and no one who has read 
The Northwest Passage by Land will ever forget the 
discovery of the headless Indian when they were on the 
point of starvation in the valley of the North Thompson, 
or the various interesting details of their perseverance and 
final escape where others had perished most miserably. 
The object of this expedition was to discover the most 
direct route through British territory to the gold mines of 
the Caribou region, and to explore the unknown regions 
in the vicinity of the north branch of the Thompson 
River. 

A period of very rapid growth in the Dominion of 
Canada now follows close upon the date of this expedi- 
tion. In 1867, the colony of Canada, together with New 
Brunswick and Nova Scotia, united to form the new 
Dominion of Canada, and, in 1869, the Hudson Bay Com- 
pany sold out its rights to the central and northwestern 
parts of British North America. 

In the meantime the people of the United States had 
been vigorously carrying on surveys, and preparing to 
build railroads across her vast domains, where lofty moun- 
tain passes and barren wastes of desert land intervened 



Railroad Surveys. 



253 



between her rich and populous East and the thriving and 
energetic West, but in Canada no line as yet connected 
the provinces of the central plains with her eastern pos- 
sessions, while British Columbia occupied a position of 
isolation beyond the great barriers of the Rocky Moun- 
tains. 

On the 20th of July, 1871, British Columbia entered 
the Dominion of Canada, and on the same day the survey 
parties for a transcontinental railroad started their work. 
One of the conditions on which British Columbia entered 
the Dominion was, that a railroad to connect her with the 
east should be constructed within ten years. 

More than three and one half millions of dollars were 
expended in these preliminary surveys, and eleven different 
lines were surveyed across the mountains before the one 
finally used was selected. Nor was this vast amount of 
work accomplished without toil and clanger. Many lives 
were lost in the course of these surveys, by forest fires, 
drowning, and the various accidents in connection with 
their hazardous work. Ofttimes in the gloomy gorges and 
canyons, especially in the Coast Range, where the rivers 
flow in deep channels hemmed in and imprisoned by pre- 
cipitous walls of rock, the surveyors were compelled to 
cross awful chasms by means of fallen trees,or, by drilling 
holes and inserting bolts in the cliffs, to cling to the rocks 
far above boiling cauldrons and seething rapids, where a 
fall meant certain death. The ceaseless exertion and fre- 
quent exposure on the part of the surveyors were often 
unrewarded by the discovery of favorable routes, or passes 



254 The Canadian Rockies. 



through the mountains. The Selkirk Range proved 
especially formidable, and only after two years of priva- 
tion and suffering did the engineer Rogers discover, in 
1883, the deep and narrow pass which now bears his name, 
and by which the railway seeks a route across the crest of 
this range, at the bottom of a valley more than a mile in 
depth. 

The romance of an eagle leading to the discovery of a 
pass is connected with a much earlier date. Mr. Moberly 
was in search of a pass through the Gold Range west of 
the Selkirks, and one day he observed an eagle flying up 
a narrow valley into the heart of these unknown moun- 
tains. He followed the direction of the eagle, and, as 
though led on by some divine omen, he discovered the 
only route through this range, and, in perpetuation of this 
incident, the name Eagle Pass has been retained ever 
since. 

But all these surveys were merely preliminary to the 
vast undertaking of constructing a railroad. At first, the 
efforts of the government were rewarded with only partial 
success, and at length, in 1880, the control and manage- 
ment of railroad construction was given over to an organi- 
zation of private individuals. In the mountain region 
there were many apparently insuperable obstacles, to 
overcome which there were repeated calls for further 
financial aid. However, under the able and efficient con- 
trol of Sir William Van Home, the various physical diffi- 
culties were, one by one, overcome, while his indomitable 
courage and remarkable energy inspired confidence in 



Historical Periods. 255 



those who were backing the undertaking financially. 
Moreover, he had a thorough knowledge of railroad con- 
struction, together with unusual perseverance and resolu- 
tion, combined with physical powers which enabled him 
to withstand the nervous strain and worry of this gigantic 
enterprise. 

In short, after a total expenditure of one hundred and 
forty million dollars, the Canadian Pacific Railroad, which 
is acknowledged to be one of the greatest engineering 
feats the world has ever seen, was completed, five years 
before the stipulated time. 

With the opening of the railroad came the tourists 
and mountaineers, and the commencement of a new period 
in the history of the Canadian Rockies. 

The short period of one hundred years which nearly 
covers the entire history of the Canadian Rockies may be 
divided into four divisions. The first is the period of the 
fur trade, which may be regarded as beginning with the 
explorations of Sir Alexander Mackenzie in 1793, and 
lasting till 1857. 

From 1858 to 1871 might be called the gold period, 
for at this time gold-washing and the activity consequent 
upon this new industry were paramount. 

The next interval of fifteen years might be called the 
period of railroad surveys and construction, — a time of 
remarkable activity and progress, — and which rationally 
closes in 1886, when the first trains began to move across 
the continent on the new line. 

The last period is that of the tourists, and though as 



256 The Canadian Rockies. 



yet it is the shortest of all, it is destined without doubt 
to be longer than any. 

Every one of these periods may be said to have had a 
certain effect on the growth and advance of this region. 
The first period resulted in a greater knowledge of the 
country, and the opening up of lines of travel, together 
with the establishment of trading posts at certain points. 

The second period brought about the construction of 
wagon roads in the Fraser Canyon leading to the Caribou 
mining region and to other parts of British Columbia. 
These roads were the only routes by which supplies and 
provisions could be carried to the mining camps. The 
method of gold mining practised in British Columbia has 
hitherto been mostly placer mining, or mere washing of 
the gravels found in gold-bearing stream beds. 

With the commencement of the railroad surveys, a 
great deal of geographical information was obtained in 
regard to the several ranges of the Rocky Mountain 
system, and the culmination of this period was the final 
establishment of a new route across the continent, and the 
opening up of a vast region to the access of travellers. 

Year by year there are increasing numbers of sportsmen 
and lovers of wild mountain life who make camping expedi- 
tions from various points on the railroad, back into the 
mountains, where they may wander in unexplored regions, 
and search for game or rare bits of scenery. 

The future popularity of these mountains is in some 
degree indicated by the fact that those who have once 
tried even a brief period of camp life among them almost 



Future Popularity. 



257 



invariably return, year after year, to renew their experi- 
ences. The time will eventually come when the number 
of tourists will warrant the support of a class of guides, 
who will conduct mountaineers and sportsmen to points of 
interest in the wilder parts of the mountains, while well 
made roads will increase the comfort and rapidity of travel 
through the forests. 



17 




CHAPTER XV. 



The Pleasures of the Natural Sciences — Interior of the Earth — 
Thickness of the Crust — Origin and Cause of Mowitains — Their Age a?id 
Slow Growth — System in Mountain Arrangement — The Cordilleran Sys- 
tem — The Canadian Rockies — Comparison with Other Mountain Regio?zs — 
Climate — Cause of Chinook Winds — Effect of High Latitude on Sun and 
Moon — Principal Game A?iimals — Nature of the Forests — Mountain 
Lakes — Camp Experiences — Effect on the Character. 

THOSE who have spent a few weeks or months in a 
mountain region, such as that of the Canadian 
Rockies, must soon come to feel an interest in 
those more striking features of the wilderness which 
have been constantly revealed. The special character of 
the mountains, which have given so much pleasure ; the cli- 
mate, on which, in a great measure, every action depends ; 
the fauna, which adds so much of interest to the environ- 
ment ; and the flora, which increases the beauty of every 
scene — must all excite some degree of interest in those 
who have passed a short period of time surrounded by 
nature in her primeval state. 

They spend their time to little advantage who do not 
thus become interested in the w r onders of nature. A very 
slight knowledge of the habits and kinds of birds and 

animals, the principal characteristics of trees and plants, 

258 



Interior of the Earth. 259 



the nature of minerals, the structure and formation of the 
earth's crust, and the laws which govern the circulation of 
currents in the atmosphere will, in every case, offer wide 
and boundless fields of research and pleasure. The 
camper, the huntsman, the explorer, and the mountaineer, 
armed with such information, will be prepared to spend 
the many hours of enforced idleness, which frequently 
occur by reason of fickle weather or a smoky atmosphere, 
in an interesting and profitable manner. 

In the preceding chapters, the details of the flora and 
fauna, together with digressions on other topics, have 
been, from time to time, set forth in connection with 
various exploring excursions. 

It is the purpose of this chapter, however, to discuss, in 
a general and very brief manner, such questions as have 
a special interest, and to present them in a somewhat 
more systematic manner than was possible, or natural, in 
connection with accounts of adventures. 

To begin then with the foundation of things, the ques- 
tion first arises as to the origin and cause of mountains. 

Astronomy teaches us that the earth is a mass of molten 
or semi-viscid matter, covered with a crust which has 
formed from the cooling of the exterior. As to the rela- 
tive or absolute thickness of this crust, there is much di- 
versity of opinion, but the great majority of estimates 
ranges between the limits of one hundred and one thou- 
sand miles. 

The general features of the earth and the formation of 
mountains — subjects which lie in the province of geology 



260 The Canadian Rockies. 



— likewise point to a comparatively thin crust covering a 
molten interior. Some otologists contend that the centre 
is likewise solid, and that there is a partially molten layer 
between the centre and crust. Now as the earth gradu- 
ally cools by radiation, its volume diminishes, and the solid 
crust not having the strength to hold up its own weight, is 
forced to adapt itself to the contracting interior. The 
pressure thus brought to bear on the thin shell causes 
wrinkles or folds, so that the earth's surface is raised in 
some places and depressed in others. Moreover, the strata 
are folded, fractured, and thrown one over another as 
they are compressed, till at length lofty mountain ranges 
are formed, with all the phenomena of faults, flexures, and 
the wonderful contortions of the originally horizontal 
beds, that are to be observed in all mountain regions. 

In some respects the mountains on the earth are com- 
parable to the wrinkles on a drying apple, but in size, the 
highest peaks of the Himalayas and Andes have been 
compared more justly to the minute roughness on an egg 
shell. 

Thus the mountain ranges of the world which appear 
so vast and lofty are exceedingly small and insignificant 
as compared with the great mass of the earth. The 
strength of the earth's crust seems incapable of supporting 
the weight of even these relatively small masses, for the 
highest peaks in the world never exceed an altitude of 
five and one half miles, a height which, if represented on 
a globe of ordinary size, would hardly be observable. 

All the great mountain ranges of the world have been 



Growth of Mountains. 



261 



raised to their present altitude since the Tertiary Age, 
but, nevertheless, we must conceive of mountain growth 
as a very slow and gradual process, a few feet or yards of 
elevation each century. That mountain chains have been 
upheaved at one or two violent convulsions of nature, is 
not in accordance with reason or geological facts. Faults 
are often found with a displacement of the strata through 
several thousand feet, a fact that has been used to prove 
a sudden catastrophe. But it should be held in mind that, 
after the strata were once fractured and made to slide one 
on another, the sliding would tend to be repeated at long 
intervals in this same place. Even then a yielding of but 
a few inches would be attended by a violent earthquake. 

Beside the comparatively low altitude and very slow 
growth of mountain chains, there is a system in their ar- 
rangement which adds simplicity to the study of this sub- 
ject. Dana calls attention to the fact that the great 
mountain chains of the earth are arranged along the bor- 
ders of continents, and are proportional in height to the 
size of the oceans near them. The continents of North 
and South America reveal this law in a striking manner. 
The stupendous chain of the Andes in South America, and 
the more extensive Rocky Mountains in North America, 
stand opposite to the vast Pacific Ocean, and run nearly par- 
allel to its shores, while the lesser systems on the eastern 
borders of each continent face the lesser area of the Atlantic 
Ocean. Moreover, almost all mountain chains show evi- 
dence of a pushing force from the direction of the sea, 
and a resisting force from the direction of the land. 



262 The Canadian Rockies. 



The erosion of valleys commenced as soon as the 
strata were elevated above the sea-level, and thus the 
valleys of the world, being mostly those of erosion, are 
older than the mountains themselves. 

Turning now to the Rocky Mountains or the Cor- 
dilleran System of North America, we observe that the 
chain extends from the region of the City of Mexico to 
the Arctic Ocean, and westward into the Alaskan Penin- 
sula and the Aleutian Islands, a total distance of about 
five thousand miles. The Rocky Mountain system 
attains its greatest width in the latitude of Colorado, 
where it extends one thousand miles from east to west. 
Thence northward, the range becomes narrower toward 
the International boundary. From this point the system 
is only about four hundred miles in width, and the eastern 
range follows a line parallel to the Pacific Coast, nearly 
to the Arctic Circle. 

Having thus very briefly glanced at the cause of moun- 
tain chains, the system in their arrangement, and the 
area covered by the Rocky Mountains of North America, 
let us turn our attention more particularly to the main 
features of the chain in its extension through Canada. In 
all, there are four ranges of mountains composing the 
Canadian Rockies. The most easterly is the highest and 
most important, and is, besides, the watershed between 
the Atlantic and Pacific drainage. Next to the west lie 
the Selkirk and Gold ranges, which must be grouped 
together. Near the Pacific Coast is a third range called 
the Coast Range, while Vancouver Island and the chain 



Altitude of the Canadian Rockies. 



263 



of islands extending north represent a fourth range of 
mountains. Between the two inner of these four ranges, 
there is a plateau region with an average altitude of 3500 
feet. 

Our attention centres with peculiar interest on the 
watershed or Summit Range, as in these mountains are 
found the grandest scenery and the most lofty peaks, and 
they are withal the most accessible to the traveller. On 
the eastern side, the Rocky Mountains rise abruptly from 
the plains and reach altitudes of 9000 to 1 1,000 feet. The 
plain is here, according to Dr. Dawson, about 4350 feet in 
altitude, while on the western side of the range the altitude 
of the Columbia valley is only 2450 feet, or nearly 2000 
feet lower. The Summit Range is from forty to fifty miles 
wide in this portion of its course, and is made up of about 
five sub-ranges. The rivers and streams follow the valleys 
between these ranges, and find their way out of the moun- 
tains by occasional, transverse valleys, cutting through 
the ranges at right angles, so that every stream has a zig- 



zag course. 



It would lead us too far to discuss the formations rep- 
resented in the strata, and it is more important to learn 
the altitudes of the mountains above the valleys, and their 
other physical features, since these characteristics have 
a more direct bearing on the scenery and on the general 
nature of the mountains. The highest peaks of the Ca- 
nadian Rockies rise from 5000 to 7000 feet above the 
valleys, and rarely surpass 11,000 or 12,000 feet altitude 
above sea-level. Thus they cannot compare in magnitude 



264 The Canadian Rockies. 



with the Himalayas, the Andes, or even the Swiss Alps. 
They, however, are more accessible than the Himalayas, 
are far more attractive than the Andes, and afford much 
greater variety of scenery, together with more beauty of 
vegetation, than the Alps. No picturesque hamlets adorn 
these valleys, no herds of cattle with tinkling bells pas- 
ture on these hillsides, and no well-made roads or maps 
guide the tourist to every point of interest ; but, on the 
other hand, the climber may ascend mountains never 
tried before, the explorer may roam in wild valleys hith- 
erto practically unseen by white men ; and the camper 
may fish or hunt where no one besides the savage Indian 
has ever lowered a baited hook or joined in the stealthy 
chase. 

Before leaving the discussion of geology, it would be 
well to call attention to the wonderful effects of ancient 
glacial action, everywhere in evidence among these moun- 
tains. The countless lakes were, almost without exception, 
formed in the Quaternary ice invasion. A few of the 
lakes occupy rock basins, and more are dammed by old 
terminal moraines, while the vast majority are held in by 
ridges of drift formed underneath the glaciers where they 
joined together at the confluence of valleys. Mention 
has already been made of the evidence of ice action 
on the summit of Tunnel Mountain, near Banff, show- 
ing that the ice was at least 1000 feet in thickness, 
but on the neighboring mountains there are further evi- 
dences that the ancient glaciers flooded this valley to 
a depth of 2700 or 2800 feet. Such evidences may 



Climate. 



265 



be traced up the valley of the Bow to its source, 
where the upper surfaces of the glaciers were no less 
than 8500 or 9000 feet above sea-level, though these ice 
streams were about the same thickness as at Banff, 
because the valleys are much higher at this point. 
Throughout the eastern range, all the valleys were 
flooded, while only the mountain tops rose above the 
fields of ice, and the creeping glaciers moved slowly down 
the valleys and discharged in a great sheet of ice upon 
the plains to the east. 

The climate of the Canadian Rockies is exceedingly 
cold in winter and temperate in summer, but the air is at 
all times so dry that changes of temperature are not felt 
as in lowland regions. The rainfall in summer is light, 
and rarely attended by heavy showers. The amount of 
snow and rainfall varies locally in a remarkable manner, by 
reason of the mountains themselves. Thus the maximum 
winter depth of the snow in the Bow valley may be two or 
three feet, when up in the higher regions, only five or six 
miles distant, the depth will approach fifteen or twenty 
feet. That mountains have a great influence on the 
climate and the amount of rainfall, is universally admit- 
ted. In fact, climate and mountains are mutually 
dependent one on the other. A range of mountains near 
the sea coast, if the circulation of the atmosphere carries 
the moist air over them, will cause a great precipitation 
of rain and snow, and, vice versa, the amount of pre- 
cipitation decides the erosive power of streams, and con- 
sequently, the altitude and form of the mountains. 



266 The Canadian Rockies. 



One of the most interesting features of the Canadian 
Rockies is the Chinook wind. These peculiar winds 
occur at all seasons of the year but are most noticeable 
in winter. At such times, after a period of intense frost, 
a wind springs up from the west, directly from the moun- 
tains, the temperature rises, and the snow disappears as if 
by magic. The air is so dry that the snow and moisture 
evaporate at once, leaving the ground perfectly free of 
moisture, where a few hours before was a deep covering 
of snow. Identical winds called Foehn winds occur in 
Switzerland, and in other mountain regions of the world. 
The explanation of these winds has been stated by Ferrel 
and others, but it is difficult of demonstration to those 
who do not understand the laws governing condensation 
and evaporation of moisture in our atmosphere. Most of 
these laws may be clearly illustrated by an experiment 
not very difficult to perform. A stout glass cylinder, 
closed at one end, is fitted with a closely fitting plunger. 
Now if a tuft of cotton, moistened with ether, be placed 
in the cylinder, and the plunger be suddenly and forcibly 
pushed in, the cotton will take fire. The compression of 
the air raises the temperature so that the cotton ignites. 
The experiment might have been reversed, and the 
plunger pulled suddenly outwards so as to rarefy the 
enclosed air. In this case the temperature of the air 
would have been much reduced, and, if there were suffi- 
cient moisture, it would condense on the sides of the 
cylinder or form a cloud of vapor. These experiments 
are exceedingly valuable, as they demonstrate the laws 



Chinook Winds. 267 



of temperature under changing pressure. Moreover, it 
shows how cold air discharges its moisture in the form 
of a mist, and thus illustrates the formation of the 
clouds in the upper cold regions of our atmosphere. 
Now the circulation of the air in the Canadian Rockies 
is, in general, from the Pacific Ocean across the moun- 
tains in an easterly direction. It is, of course, interfered 
with by the circular cyclonic storms which, from time to 
time, pass over the mountains. But when one or both 
causes of air motion compel the wind to blow from the 
west towards the east, the moist currents are forced to 
ascend and flow over the mountains. In this case the air 
becomes colder as it rises, mist and clouds are formed, 
and rain or snow falls, especially on the mountains them- 
selves. As the air descends on the eastern side it becomes 
warmer in the increasing pressure, and the clouds evaporate 
and disappear. Now this air is much drier than when it 
left the other side of the mountains, because a great deal 
of rain and snow have been precipitated from it. More- 
over, the latent heat given out as the clouds form, raises 
the temperature of the air above the normal temperature 
of those altitudes. This air gains heat as it descends, and 
is subjected to the increasing pressure of lower altitudes, 
and it finally appears as a warm and very dry wind on the 
east side of the mountains. Such a wind evaporates the 
snow, and causes it to disappear in a remarkably rapid 
manner. 

The cause of Chinook winds is thus not difficult of 
explanation, if one understands the effects of atmospheric 



268 The Canadian Rockies. 



pressure and condensation. The latent heat given out by 
the condensing vapors and falling rain is of course equal 
to the heat furnished by the sun, when it was evaporating 
the surface waters of the ocean, and rendering the air full 
of invisible water vapor. 

The aspect of the sky and clouds is one of the most 
beautiful features of the mountains. Except when ob- 
scured by the smoke of forest fires, the sky is at all 
times of that deep hue rarely seen near the sea-coast 
or in lowland regions. The dark blue extends without 
apparent paleness to the very horizon, while the zenith 
is of such a deep color, especially when seen from the sum- 
mit of a lofty mountain, as to suggest the blackness 
of interstellar space. Against such a background, the 
brilliant cumulus clouds stand out in striking contrast, 
and every internal movement of the forming or dissolving 
vapors, as they rise, and descend, or curl about, is dis- 
tinctly seen, because the clouds are so near. 

The high latitude of this region has, of course, a con- 
siderable effect on the length of the days. Near the sum- 
mer solstice the twilight is faintly visible all night, and the 
sun is below the horizon only a little more than six hours. 
The moon, however, is rarely visible in the summer months, 
because when near the full it occupies that part of the 
ecliptic opposite the sun, which, in this latitude, is much 
depressed. In consequence, the full moon runs her short 
arc so near the horizon that the high mountains shut out 
all view of her. In winter, these conditions are reversed, 
and the moon shines from the clear and frosty sky with 



Game Animals. 



269 



unusual brilliancy, for many hours continuously, while the 
low-lying sun leaves many of the deeper mountain valleys 
without the benefit of his slanting rays for several months 
together. 

It would be impossible to enumerate even the princi- 
pal varieties of game animals, birds, and fish that inhabit 
this region. The mountain goat and sheep have been 
mentioned in previous chapters, and many of the inter- 
esting animals frequently met with have been described 
in more or less detail. The ordinary explorer or camper 
will see very little of the larger game, as he moves along 
with a noisy train of pack-horses and shouting men to 
drive them. He may occasionally see a bear, or catch 
sight of an elk or caribou, but the wary moose and the 
other members of the deer tribe will rarely or never be 
seen without an organized hunt. The camper will come 
to rely on the smaller game to give variety to his camp 
fare. Chief amoncr these will be the grouse, of which 
there are six species in the Canadian Rockies. One 
variety is tame, or rather very stupid, and may be 
knocked down with stones, or snared with a strong elas- 
tic noose at the end of a pole. These birds are so numer- 
ous in the forests that one may always rely on getting a 
brace for dinner, after a little search, and I have even seen 
them walking about on the main street of Banff, where, 
of course, they are protected by law. Most of the moun- 
tain streams abound in trout, except where a high water- 
fall below has intercepted their coming up the stream. 
The larger lakes likewise afford fine fishing, and in many 



27o The Canadian Rockies. 



cases swarm with lake trout of a remarkable size. The 
camper will often obtain wild fowl, the black duck, mal- 
lards, and teal, in his excursions. Outside of these 
game birds and fish, there is little left for him to rely 
on, unless he chooses to dine on marmots and porcu- 
pines. These are often extolled by travellers as most 
excellent eating, but I have tried them both, and would 
prefer to leave my share to others, while there is any- 
thing else on hand. 

The vegetation of the Canadian Rockies deserves a 
few remarks. The principal trees are all conifers. There 
are about six or seven species of these in the eastern 
range, and several more in the Selkirks. The paucity in 
the variety of deciduous trees in the Rocky Mountains, 
and the great number of conifers on the Pacific slope of 
North America, are in striking contrast to the wonderful 
number of deciduous species in the forests east of the 
Mississippi River. In the latter region, the number of 
species of forest trees is nowhere exceeded in the world, 
outside of tropical regions. Another remarkable fact in 
this connection was stated by Gray. He calls attention 
to the fact that there is a greater similarity, and affinity 
of species, between the Atlantic Coast trees and those of 
far distant Japan, than with those of the Pacific slope. 

In the Canadian Rockies, trees cease to grow at alti- 
tudes above 7500 feet, under the most favorable cir- 
cumstances, and the average tree line is in reality about 
7000 feet. Bushes of the heath family and Alpine plants, 
however, reach much higher, while dwarfed flowering 



Upper Bow Lake. 

Looking south. 



I 



Pleasures of Camp Life. 271 



herbs may be found in blossom as high as 8700 or 8800 
feet. I once found a small mat of bright yellow sedums 
on the summit of a mountain, 9100 feet above sea-level, 
but this was an exceptional case. Above this altitude, 
various stone-gray, bright yellow, or red lichens, are the 
only sign of vegetable life. Nevertheless, in such cheer- 
less regions of high altitudes, one sees a considerable 
variety of insect life — butterflies, wasps, mosquitoes, and 
spiders. The latter insects may sometimes be seen crawl- 
ing about on the snow after winter has commenced, and 
naturalists have often described them as one of the 
most abundant insects on barren, volcanic islands of 
the Atlantic Ocean, where there is scarcely a trace of 



vegetation. 



The pleasures of camping in the Canadian Rockies 
are almost infinite in their variety. They vary with the 
locality and the scenic interest of the surroundings, and 
suffer a constant change of mood and aspect with the 
changing weather. There is an exhilarating buoyancy in 
the mountain air that conspires to make all things appear 
as though seen through some cheerful medium, and where 
nature is so lavish with countless things of rare interest 
on every side, one comes at length to regard all other 
places unworthy of comparison. The formation of these 
mountains is such as to present an infinite variation of 
outline and altitude, such as one observes in almost no 
other mountain region of the world. The mountaineer may 
stand on the summit of a lofty peak and behold a sea of 
mountains extending fifty or one hundred miles in every 



272 The Canadian Rockies. 



direction, with no plains or distant ocean to suggest a limit 
to their extent. Such a vast area, nearly half a thou- 
sand miles in width, and thousands of miles in length, pre- 
sents an extent of mountain ranges such as are found in no 
other part of the world. 

The exquisite charm and beauty of the lakes, so 
numerous in every part of the mountains, is one of the 
chief delights of the camper. Some are small and soli- 
tary, perched in some amphitheatre far up among the 
mountains, surrounded by rocky walls, and hemmed in by 
great blocks of stone. Here, no trees withstand the 
Alpine climate, and the water surface is free of ice only 
during a short season. A few Alpine flowers and grasses 
wave in the summer breezes, while the loud whistling 
marmots, and the picas ever sounding their dismal notes, 
live among the rocks, and find shelter in their crevices. 

Other lakes, at lower altitudes, are concealed among 
the dark forests, and, with deep waters, richly colored, 
appear like gems in their seclusion. Here the wild 
duck, the diver, and the loon resort in search of food, 
for the sedgy shores abound with water rice, and the 
waters with fish. 

Most of the mountain lakes are small, and hide in 
secluded valleys, but many are large enough to become 
rough and angry in a storm, and have beaten out for them- 
selves narrow beaches of gravel and shores lined with sand. 

Even the sounds of the mountains and the forests 
give constant pleasure. There is every quality and vol- 
ume of sound, from the loud rumble of thunder, or the 



Emerald Lake and Mount Field. 









V 



Camp Experiences. 



273 



terrible crash of avalanches, re-echoed among the moun- 
tains, to the sharp, interrupted report of falling rocks, the 
roar of torrents, or the gentle murmur of some purling 
stream. The sighing of the wind in the forests, the 
susurrant pines and spruces, the drowsy hum of insects, 
the ripple of water on the shores of a lake, and the myriad 
sounds of nature — half heard, half felt — conspire to make 
up the sum of the camper's pleasure ; though in a manner 
so vague and indescribable that they must needs be ex- 
perienced to be understood. 

Nor are all the experiences of camp life attended by 
pure enjoyment alone. Mountain adventures comprise 
a multitude of pleasures, mingled many times with disap- 
pointment and physical suffering. They comprise all the 
scale of sensations, from those marked by the pains of 
extreme exhaustion, physical weakness, hunger, and cold, 
to those of the greatest exhilaration and pleasure. For- 
tunately, the sensations of pleasure are by far the more 
abundant, while those of pain almost invariably follow 
some rash act or error in judgment. 

The effect on the health and strength is, of course, 
one of the chief advantages of camp life. But there is 
another beneficial result brought about by this manner 
of life that is more important, though less often taken 
into consideration. This is the effect that camp life has 
on the character. In the first place, one learns the value 
of perseverance, for without this quality nothing can be 
accomplished in such a region as the Canadian Rockies. 
The explorer will realize this when he comes to a long 



274 The Canadian Rockies. 



stretch of burnt timber, where his horses flounder in a 
maze of prostrate trees ; and the climber will feel the 
need of continued resolution when, after a long and ardu- 
ous climb to an apparent summit, he reaches it only to 
find the slope extending indefinitely upwards. 

The quality of patience under toil and aggravation 
while on the march — patience with tired horses and weary 
men — patience under the distress of wet underbrush, or 
uncomfortable quarters, or, indeed, when tormented by 
mosquitoes, is one of the prime requisites of life in the 
wilderness. 

While these qualities are more or less common to 
every one, they are much developed in mountain camp 
life. But, perhaps, the ability to judge quickly and well 
is that characteristic which is most needed among the 
mountains, and the one which is attended by the most 
suffering if it is not brought into play. If the explorer 
or mountaineer decides on the time of day when he must 
turn back, and then, under the temptation of seeing a 
little more, or of reaching another summit, delays his 
return, let him not bewail his fate if he is caught by dark- 
ness in the forest and is compelled to pass a sleepless, 
hungry night. The laws of nature are inexorable, and 
while we obey them there is abundant opportunity of 
pleasure, but if we expose ourselves to the grinding of 
her vast machinery, one must suffer the consequence. 
The storm will not abate merely because we are exposed 
to it, nor will our strength be renewed merely because 
we are far from camp. 



Camp Necessaries. 275 



Let the camper surround himself with all the luxuries 
that are possible without trespassing on the bounds of 
reason. Let him have a good cook and a good packer ; 
horses that are used to the trail ; a fine camp outfit ; com- 
fortable blankets and good tents ; a full supply of cook- 
ing utensils, knives, forks, and spoons ; above all, let him 
take an abundant supply of provisions, comprising a large 
variety of dried fruits and the various cereals, and let 
each article be of the best quality. 

Under such circumstances there is no risk of danger, 
no opportunity for discomfort, especially if every action 
is controlled by a moderate amount of judgment ; but, on 
the other hand, the rich experiences among the mountains 
will prove a store of physical and mental resources, the 
memory of which will tempt him to revisit these regions 
year after year. 




INDEX. 



PAGE 

Abbott, Mount 1 30 

Agnes, Lake 42 

" depth of 43 

" "in winter 118 

" " solitude of 42 

Air circulation in Canadian Rockies. 267 

Alders in Selkirks 125 

Alpine insects, varieties of 271 

" plants 271 

American Fur Company 238 

Anemones 107 

Assiniboine, another name for Stoneys 53 

Assiniboine, Mount, altitude of 177 

features of 178 

" first circuit of 168 

" " " view of 153 

outline 156 

' ' south side of 1 74 

Astley, Mr 61 

Athabasca Pass 244 

Atmosphere, eastward movement of 123 

Avalanche from Mount Lefroy 33 

Balsam fir 38 

Banff, altitude 11 

4 ' climate 11,15 

' ' location 1 

' ' population 2 

' l Springs Hotel 3 

' ' surroundings 3 

' ' topography of 4 

Barometer, diurnal minima of 113 

Bean, Mr 72 

Bear's Paw, chief of Stoneys 49 

Beehive, the 41, 44 

" altitude of 44 

277 



278 Index. 



PAGE 

Blackiston, Lieut 246 

Blind valleys 172 

Bourgeau, M 246 

Bow Lakes 201 

' ' future popularity of 211 

" Lake, Lower 191 

11 " Upper 195 

" River 2 

British Columbia 253 

Brown, Mount, altitude of 184 

Bull-dog flies 25 

Butterflies, habits of 72 






Caledonia, New 238 

Calypso borealis 143 

Cambrian Age, reference to 42 

Canada, highest point reached in 115 

Canadian National Park 1 

Pacific Road, cost of 255 

Rockies, comparisons of 264 

Cannibalism, anecdote of 242 

Canoe River 240 

Caribou mining region 256 

Cascade Mountain, ascent of 14 

description of 5 

origin of name 6 

Castilleias 107 

Castle Crags 65 

Cave and basin at Banff 159 

Chalet at Lake Louise 22 

" old 26 

Character, effect of camp life on 273 

Cheops, Mount 130 

Chiniquy , Tom 49 

Chinook winds, cause of 266 

Chipmunks 106 

Cirque 77 

Climate of Canadian Rockies 265 

Cloud effects 29, 82 

Coast Range 262 

Condensation of clouds 267 

Condition, physical 89 

Continental watershed 18, 37 

Contrast of surroundings 95 

Cold weather in September 13 

Colorado, altitude of mountains in 37 

Color, sunset and sunrise 3° 



Index. 279 



11 



t < K 



PAGE 

Columbia River 1 20 

Columbine, yellow ig 

Cook , Captain 230 

" " explorations of 237 

Cordilleran System 262 

Cotireurs des bois 221 

Cox, Ross 240 

Crees, Mountain 52 

Crevasses, dangers of 203 

Cross River 171 

Daly Mountain 193 

Dawson, Dr. , on Stoney Indians 52 

Desolation Valley 107 

Devil's Club 125 

Head 7 

Lake 6 

Indian legend of 8 

Diamond hitch 142 

Dominion of Canada 252 

Eagle Pass 254 

" Peak 126 

" later attempts on 129 

Earth, interior of 259 

Edith, Mount, Pass 219 

Epilobium 107 

Experiences in camp 273 

Exploration, pleasure of 75, 96 

Forbes, Mount, altitude of 1 84 

Forest fires, ancient 1 88 

" causes of 188 

" fire smoke 11 

Forests, near Lake Louise 38 

" of Pacific Coast 135 

regeneration of 190 

Selkirk 125 

Forest trees, replacement of 190 

Fraser, Simon 239 

River, first exploration of 238 

Fur trade, origin of 220 

Glacier, House 121 

debris 55 

thickness of ice in . . 78 

Glissading, method of 7° 

Goat, Rocky Mountain 117, 163, 164 

Gold, discovery of 245 



I i 

I I 



280 Index. 



PAGE 

G olden-rod, Alpine species 72 

(..old Range 262 

Great Mountain 77, 80 

1 ' Slave Lake, origin of name 231 

Green, Dr 124 

Grouse 269 

H azel Teak, altitude 1 08 

Hector, Dr 10, 246 

Hector, Mount 216 

Heely's Creek , 139 

Hermit Range 127 

Hooker, Mount, altitude of 184 

Huber and Sulzer 124 

Hudson Bay Company 224, 226 

Ice Age 5, 264 

" pillars 56 

Indian, ability to follow trails 49 

frankness 63 

gratitude 51 

habits of 50 

idea concerning weeping 234 

Kootanie 247 

loquacity 8 

pathos 51 

sarcasm 100 

summer 29 

trails 152, 212 

Kananaskis Pass, legend of, 246 

Kicking Horse Pass, discovery of 250 

River, origin of name 249 

Kootanie River, direction of flow 120 

Laggan, distance from Banff 62 

distance to Lake Louise 24 

" Mount Temple 79 

Lake Louise, altitude of 22 

depth of 17 

early morning at 26 

forests about , 23 

highest recorded temperature at 22 

in October 31 

past history of forests at 24 

prevalent wind at 24 

size and shape of . . . . 16 



Index. 281 



PAGE 

Lake Louise, summer temperature of water 26 

" " topography of region near 36 

visitors at 22 

Lakes in Canadian Rockies 272 

Lake trout, size of 6, 202 

Laurel , sheep 19 

Lefroy, Mount, avalanche from go 

'' " description of 18 

" " precipices of 34, 90 

Linnea borealis 175 

Little Fork Pass, altitude of 208 

Lyall's larch 39 

Mackay, Alexander 232 

Mackenzie, Sir Alexander 226 

" River, discovery of 231 

Mackenzie's plan for an overland route 238 

Maple trees 175 

Marion Lake 130 

Mariposa Grove 135 

Marmots 43, 106 

Milton and Cheadle 252 

Minerals on mountain sides 173 

Minnewanka Lake 8 

Mirror Lake 42, 45 

M mill, effect of latitude on 268 

Morley 51 

Mosquitoes, annual disappearance of 25, 199 

Mountains, age of 261 

" altitude of 263 

comparative size of 260 

origin and cause of 259 

system in arrangement 261 

Mountaineers, tribulations of 113 

Mounted Police, Northwest 2 

Murchison, Mount 207 

Muskegs 46 

Neve regions . . 56 

Northwest Company 224 

downfall of 225 

Mounted Police 2 

Outfit for camp 275 

Pacifi-c Coast reached by Mackenzie 234 

Pack-horses, difficulties with 102 

nature of 214 

remarkable experience with 105 



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